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MY SISTEE KITTY 


IM 

ft-r 


A STORY OF ELECTION DAY 



BOSTON 

LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS 

NEW YORK CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM 






Copyright, i88i, 

By Lee and Shepard. 

✓ 


I 


Boston Stereotype Foundry, 
No. 4 Pearl Street. 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


A STORY OF ELECTION DAY. 


were all sitting around the table, 
1 front of a blazing wood-fire, the 
ight before election, when my 
father came in with more than his usual 
animation. Drawing a chair close to the 
fender he sat down, rubbing his hands, 
and looking very much pleased, though 
with an air, as Who shall say that I am 
elated by such a trifle ? ” 

I longed to know, but waited a moment. 
Men are so queer I They may be dying to 
tell you a thing ; yet the leading question 
which would open the floodgates of a 
woman’s heart, just tickles their bump of 
secretiveness, and causes them to fold up. 





2 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


with a sort of proud consciousness that 
"Richard is himself again,” and knows how 
to keep a thing or two from the curious. 
No remark being made, as mother and 
Kitty were puzzling their brains over some 
knitting, my father turned round and said, — 
"Well, girls, what if they should send 
your settled-down old father as Represent- 
ative to Boston, after all ! ” 

"Oh, pa, is there really a prospect?” 
burst out Kitty and I in a breath, while 
mother looked up from her work anxiously. 

" As far as I can see to-night, there’s a 
pretty good chance ; I’ve been talking with 
some of the men about it. They came into 
the office and looked over matters a little, 
and they all say there isn’t a doubt about it. 
Pelham, you see, is a young man, and talks 
to the boys, and promises all sorts of things, 
but the old, steady-going men aren’t a-going 
to vote for him. They all say, 'it ain’t the 
-party they vote for, it’s the man!^ Slab 
City ’s looking up, lately ; — pity it was ever 
named after the saw-mill business ; — but 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


3 


the water-power ’s a good one, and, you see, 
to send some one who’ll make a mark, will 
be so much gain to the village ; it’ll bring it 
into notice. There’s Gaylord says he can 
bring up a dozen of his friends to work for 
me ; he’ll do all he can ; he’s a clever fel- 
low, and knows me. Pelham will work 
hard, for his heart is set on going, and his 
brother will do everything for him. If I 
had a son, now, or somebody who was 
specially interested forme ! People will do 
a great deal for their own 'kith and kin,’” 
and my father sighed deeply. 

Poor man ! if the golden-haired baby, 
whom, many weary years ago, he laid to 
sleep under the trees on the hillside, had 
only lived, he would have had an arm to 
lean on, and some one young and strong- 
hearted to work for him. I knew that my 
mother felt it, for the black pussy cat who 
stood on the table, looking into her face, 
turned, with an impatient little purr, to lick 
off a drop that sparkled on her jetty fur ; 
and there was silence for a moment. Oh, 


4 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


why am I only a girl ! Kitty was the first 
to break in : 

'' Oh, father, and shall we all come down 
and visit you in the winter? What fun it 
will be ! Hope and I will look up some 
famous beaux, and captivate them entirely ; 
we should so like to ^settle'’ in the city. 
And then, when you are next elected, — 
for after this honor you will probably be in 
demand as a noted 'public man^ — you and 
mother can come and board with us. And 
we won’t have anything less than a corner- 
lot on Commonwealth Avenue, or one of 
those grand old houses on Beacon Street. 
They would be more convenient for your 
business, would they not, papa? Oh how 
grand I shall feel, when people say, 'that 
young lady in the green silk,’ — ' for green 
it shall be,’ — 'is the daughter of the Rep- 
resentative from Slab City ! ’ ” And Kitty 
pursed up her pretty mouth, and arched 
her eyebrows, and looked, — what in fact 
she was, — a perfect little empress. 

It will be their own loss, thought I, if my 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


5 


beautiful sister, with her distinguished face 
and air, and the fond, generous heart which 
lies under her coquettish manner, does not 
stay to be the crown and blessing of some 
happy home. 

My father smiled. ”Yes, you must all 
come ; I shall want to introduce my wife and 
daughters to all my friends there. I think 
our old groomsman, Dabney, will be glad 
to see us, and how he will be astonished 
at the girls, — such tall young ladies as they 
have grown, now; they were only about 
so high when he was here last ; ” and my 
father measured off' about three feet on the 
chimney-piece with his hand, and looked 
up to me as I stood watching him on the 
other side ofcthe hearth, with such a fond, 
proud smile, that it brought the tears to my 
eyes, and I thanked God in my heart that, 
girl though I was, I could be a source of 
pride to my father. 

'' It will take a good deal to get us ready 
for a winter in the city,” said my mother, 
” it is so long since I have had anything 
really fashionable ! ” 


6 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


Oh, well, mother,” said I, "we can 
manage some wa}^* and now is our time ; 
we must shine a little this winter, if we 
never do again ! You really need the 
change, and Kitty and I shall never be 
any younger, or prettier, I long to go 
away, and breathe freer, and see people 
and things ! It’s rather frightful, to be sure, 
but I guess my pride will carry me through, 
and, after all, it is only the polish that 
we are lacking in. Kitty and I have noth- 
ing to be ashamed of in our education ; we 
must only keep cool, and take things as if 
we had been accustomed to them all our 
lives, supported b}" the proud consciousness 
that the Trist family is, after all, of as good 
stock as any in the country ; ” and I gave a 
little suggestive pat to my father’s bald 
place. "Couldn’t you manage, pa, to add 
just an e to the name, it would look alto^ 
gether more aristocratic^ — Triste would 
really be exceedingly elegant and roman- 
tic ! ” 

"No,” said my father, drawing himself 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


1 


up, "if plain John Trist won’t speak for 
itself, all the letters in the alphabet wouldn’t 
alter it, to my mind ! ” 

" I really didn’t mean it, pa ; you know 
I only wanted to hear what you would say ; 
but, about the fixings, — do let us talk them 
over a little, what we should have to get ! 
You, mother, could take those two black 
satins of grandmother’s, and make one 
splendid dress of them for dinner-parties 
and grand occasions, — black satin is al- 
ways and elegant ; and, besides, Kate 

Fields, who has just come from New York, 
says it is the most stylish thing you can 
wear. There’ll be enough left, probably, 
of the two dresses for a bonnet, and trim- 
ming for another dress, — they trim alto- 
gether with satin, you know, — and you 
can take your old black-silk, take out a 
couple of breadths for a sacque, gore the 
rest, make it a short dress, and trim it with 
the folds of satin, and you have a suit for all 
occasions. Then you have a merino or 
two, which furbished up a little, will do for 


8 


Mr SISTER KITTr 


mornings and extras. Why, mother, I 
don’t see but you’re dressed for Boston al- 
ready ! ” 

Mother laughed. 'Wou’re good at plan- 
ning, Hope, but I don’t know ; as the old 
proverb has it, 'You musn’t halloo till you 
are out of the woods.’ Your father is not 
elected yet.” 

" Oh, but I feel sure that he will be, and, 
at any rate, we have the pleasure of antici- 
pating. Do let us all be Representatives • 
for this night, if no longer. Pussy, how 
should you like to be a Representative’s 
cat? See, mother, with what a dignified 
air she waves her tail, when I ask her. 
Couldn’t you afford to give her a little kiss 
for her brightness?” 

"No,” said my mother, "I leave that for 
silly things like you. And now, in view of 
to-morrow, put her down cellar, and let us 
all go to bed, for it will be an exciting day, 
at least ! ” 

So we all kissed good-night, with an un- 
usual tenderness, springing from the. new 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


9 


hopes fluttering in our hearts ; but mine felt 
strangely sad, away down in one corner; 
and, after I had fastened a pair of scissors 
into the dining-room window, to secure it, 
I stood looking out, fascinated by the long, 
gloomy shadows that lay under the trees, 
and wondering why it was that the shadow 
of a fear must cling so closely around that 
which is dearest in our lives. But, as I 
turned away, a little moonbeam danced in, 
and fell upon the dark wall, on the other 
side of the room, and the thought came to 
me that, perhaps, the fear was only the 
dark background, to make our happiness 
shine more brightly ; and I said, half to my- 
self, and half to the moonbeam, "Shine 
away, little moonbeam, and thank the dark 
shadows ; nobody would notice you in the 
daytime ! ” 

" What’s that, my dear? said my father, 
coming in to re-light his candle at the fire. 

" Nothing, papa, only I was thinking that 
if there were never any night, all the moon- 
beams and stars and bright little things 


lO 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


would never have a chance to show them- 
selves ! ” 

"Very true, my dear, night is certainly a 
great institution, especially when you’ve 
worked hard all day ; but they used to tell 
me when I was young that all the beauty- 
slecf came before midnight ; so you’d better 
be off, my dear, and leave the 'stars and 
bright little things’ — as you call ’em — 
to take their turn : not that you need it, 
though ; ” and he looked admiringly in my 
plain face, and gave me another good-night 
kiss ; and the kiss, or the moonbeams, or both 
together, made the way up-stairs very bright, 
and the shadows were all fled away. That 
night Kitty and I lay long awake, talking 
over the wonderful new silk that we each 
meant to indulge in; the 'loves of bonnets' 
we would concoct ; whom we should see, and 
send cards to ; and all the visions of beauty 
and gladness that would dawn upon us in 
^ that happy future. And, after the gentle 
breathing at my side grew deeper and 
deeper, I lay and thought how my noble. 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


II 


hard-working father would be honored and 
appreciated by those whom he met, how the 
change would brighten my mother’s pale 
cheek, and how her heart would treasure 
the tribute paid to my father’s abilities by 
those who were proud to honor honest merit ; 
and, remembering the promise given to all, 
I thought it not unseemly to pray, that He, 
who knows the trials and disappointments 
of our daily lives, and the wants and weak- 
ness of his children, pitying them, — even 
as a Father, — would give us this pleasant 
thing ! 

Visions of presidents and courts and fes- 
tive scenes flashed through my dreams ; 
and, withal, my sister Kitty, in her long, 
trailing, new^silk, supported on either side 
by an admiring crowd; but, as the night 
wore on, they seemed to fade awa}’', and I 
was simply a very sleepy individual when 
the first bell rang, and much inclined to 
turn over for another nap, when my sister 
inquired, in a penetrating voice, from over 
the footboard, whether I deemed such sloth 


12 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


becoming the daughter of the future Repre- 
sentative of Slab City. Then, the possible 
glories of the future flashed upon me, and, 
jumping up, it was some minutes before I 
could find breath to sigh out, ” O Kitty ! one 
whole day of suspense ; what shall we do?” 

" Do ! why, we must fly down to the 
Green on all the errands that we can think 
of, and bow to all the men, and make our- 
selves as fascinating as possible, so as to 
get votes for pa. That is the only way we 
have, of electioneering, and, of course, we 
must do something. Many women do more 
for less cause. O Hope ! if we go to Bos- 
ton, we shall be sure to see Herbert Clay ; 
he is in Harvard, now, and I suppose has 
grown to be such a fine young man. I 
wonder if he remembers all the nice times 
we used to have together when he was here, 
chestnutting, trouting, and all ; he was a 
glorious fellow, and will never be too proud 
to know us, Fm sure. How glad we shall 
be to see him, and how very odd that you 
never thought of him before ; I shall cer- 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


13 


tainly tell him of your faithlessness, — such 
cronies as you were, too ! Shall you ever 
forget what gloriously fair hair he had? it 
was like the purest gold ! ” 

I had thought of the fair hair before, but 
did not say as much to my chatty sister. I 
remembered how, the morning he went 
away (it was just as the sun was rising), 
we stood out by the gate together, waiting 
for the stage. The first birds were singing, 
and the dew lay wet and cold on the roses 
that hung over the fence. Just then the 
first bright sunbeam stole over the moun- 
tain and fell upon his hair. I started, — it 
was so bright and sudden, — and he said : 
''What is it, Hope?” 

" Only a little sunbeam, Herbert, which 
falls upon your forehead like a crown. I 
shall take it for a sign.” - 

" Why, little one, would you have me 
a king, or president, when I come back? ” 
"Yes, Herbert, a king above all others; 
such an one as we were reading about 
the other day ; so much truer ^ and hettcry 




Mr SISTER KITTr 


and stronger than other men, that you will 
be able to lead them all.” 

” For your sake^ I will try, Hope,” said 
he. 

" O Herbert ! if I were an elegant, com- 
manding woman, who could inspire men 
to heroic deeds, like the women of History, 
instead of being a little, unsophisticated 
country girl ! No, no, you must do it, be- 
cause it is a great and glorious thing to be a 
man, and you have — ” 

“ ‘ When you wear the bonnet red and the beautiful 
cockade, 

Ah ! I fear you’ll be forgetting all the promises 
you’ve made,’ ” 

merrily sang my sister Kitty, skipping 
down the walk. 

'"You see, Herbert, I’m thinking what 
a fine, grown-up young man you’ll be 
when next we meet, probably utterly ob- 
livious of the fact that 5^ou ever beau-ed us 
round up here in the country ; but, dear 
me, is that the stage already ? I’ve almost 
killed myself, besides upsetting a pitcher 


MT SISTER KITTT 


IS 

or two, hurrying to get dressed, before it 
came. Why didn’t you call me, Hope?” 

”I did speak to you, Kitty,” I said, with 
a twinge of conscience, remembering that 
it was very softly^ for I wanted a word be- 
fore she appeared. 

'^Well, you should have pulled me up 
directly, and impressed it upon me that 
Herbert was going, for I was too sleepy to 
think ; but, dear me, they’re waiting. How 
we shall miss you, Herbert ! ” 

A moment more, and he was gone, and 
we leaned over the gate to catch the last 
wave of the handkerchief from the top of 
the stage. Then , the morning mists rolled 
between ; it felt very chilly, and we went 
into the house. 

''Well, Hope, what are you dreaming 
of, now?” said Kitty, in a long-suftering 
voice. "You haven’t spoken a word for 
the last fifteen minutes ; the breakfast-bell 
has rung, and here you are, not half 
dressed ; I’ve waited patiently to see if you 
wouldn’t wake up. You were so excited 


1 6 my sister kitty. 

last night, and now nothing seems to rouse 
you ! ” 

Oh, you run down, Kitty, and tell them 
I’m coming, that’s a dear ; I’ll be there in a 
minute, and eclipse you all in brightness;” 
and I gave her a little push out of the 
room. 

Breakfast was rather a silent meal this 
morning. My father looked pre-occupied, 
my mother, a little weary; I think they had 
talked matters over after they went to bed, 
for I had heard a low murmur from below 
until quite late. Kitty and I indulged in a 
few pleasantries, but were glad, on the 
whole, when it was over, and we had seated 
ourselves to our work. 

'' How I do hate to piece things,” broke 
out Kitty, after we had been sewing for 
about five minutes ; '' the under part of this 
sleeve is really disgraceful. When I get 
my rich man, Hope, I’ll never piece any 
more, or wear anything but high boots, or 
long gloves. Oh, how nice it will be ! I 
don’t think I feel like sewing to-day, either. 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


17 

Don’t you want anything down town, 
mother ? ” 

"Yes, if your father is going down, I 
don’t know but you might as well go along 
with him, and get some raisins for a pud- 
ding. I suppose you will have some one up 
to dinner, won’t you, husband?” 

"Yes, perhaps one or two; those who 
come in from the parishes, and stay all 
day.” 

"Oh, do, father,” said I, "have them all 
who vote for you ; we’ll take care of them.” 

He smiled, and nodded, and tucking 
Kitty under his arm, I \vatched them go 
down the street together, followed by old 
Ponto, who trotted along in an orthodox 
manner at their heels. Mother came and 
sat down by me for a moment. 

" I really think, Hope, that the chances 
are quite favorable ! ” 

That was a good deal for my mother to 
say ; she looked so pleased, too. 

" Oh, mother. Pm sure ! ” 

"Yes, my dear, you usually are.” 


l8 MY SISTER KITTY, 

No, but really, mother, when you think 
of father, compared to these other men, 
does it seem as if the mere ^arty feelmg 
could triumph? Will not all the sensible 
ones vote for him ? ” 

Mother shook her head. "Your father 
is too straightforward and honest to be 
popular, and the dash and show of Young 
America is very captivating ; but we won’t 
worry, it will all turn out for the best. 
And, now, suppose you look and see if the 
parlor is all right, and, as soon as Kitty 
comes back, make the dessert, and I will 
run and put on a cap, for your father may 
bring some one up at any time.” 

Kitty came in presently, to tell us to set 
the table for five extra (I almost kissed the 
knives and forks) ! She reported that the 
Green and sidewalks were full of men, talk- 
ing earnestly in knots. One had said, as 
she passed, "The squire, I can tell you, 
ain’t a-going to be put down by nobody ; 
he’s a good man, an’ everybody knows it 
that knows anything. Many’s the time he 


il/r SISTER KITTT. 


19 


has helped me out o’ trouble, an I’ll be 
blamed if I don’t stan’ up for him all I 
can ! ” Kitty said she stopped and looked 
at him, that she might know him again; 
and one of the men touched him on the 
shoulder, and said, Hist, Bellows, there’s 
the squire’s daughter ! ” Then she hurried 
on, but stopped at the office, and begged 
father to invite Bellows to dine. 

Well, it would have done your heart good 
to see the big turkey as it came steaming on 
to the table. I had fed the poor fellow 
many a day as I sat out on the back door- 
step, and he came gobbling up, with his 
beseeching head thrust out. However, he 
was to feed my father’s supporters, and I 
called to mind, for my consolation, the 
melancholy fact embodied in a couplet of 
the little, old Westminster Catechism, to 
the effect, that — 

“ Death conquers all, 

Both great and small ; ” 

and reflected that it was not every turkey 
who was called upon to die for e^lection-day. 


20 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


Bellows was there, and we put him next to 
Kitty, and four other men, one or two of 
them rough farmers from the neighboring 
districts, but with such good, honest faces, 
and bright, intelligent minds. They did 
not use the nice napkins that I had laid for 
them with so much care, or the salt spoons ; 
and the girl who waited on us at table, ex- 
pressed, in her speaking countenance, such 
open-mouthed astonishment at some of their 
ways, that it was only by carefully looking 
awa}^ from Kitty, that I could smother a 
laugh, the whole thing was so funny ; but, 
then, they were so clever and warm-hearted, 
and looked up to my father with such ad- 
miring reverence, telling wonderful tales of 
what the "squire” had done, that my heart 
was completely melted, and I loved them 
all. Then, after the quivering plum-pud- 
ding — my special handiwork — had been 
duly commented on, my father brought out 
a bottle of old wine, — the very best of cur- 
rant, — made by my mother when I was a 
little baby, and onl}^ produced on particular 


occasions. 


Mr SISTBI^ KITTT. 


21 


”We were young folks, wife, when this 
was put up,” said he, uncorking it with a 
sort of tender solicitude. " I remember, 
just as well I it was when we lived in that 
little house in Green Street ; how you stood 
by the kitchen-table, with baby in your 
arms, — so young and pretty, — watching 
me as I fastened down the corks. You 
looked up, as I finished, and said, 'Now, 
husband, we will put some of this away 
very carefully, and when baby is grown up, 
and we get to be old, and live in a fine 
house, and riches and honors pour in upon 
us, we’ll bring out a bottle, now and then, 
to carry us back to the old times, when all 
our treasure was this little home, and a bit 
of yard, with the row of currant-bushes 
along the fence, and our own hopeful, lov- 
ing hearts to make it the happiest place on 
earth.’ They would call us old people, 
now, I suppose, Jenny, and the baby has 
grown beyond her mother. We’re not as 
rich as we once thought to be, but we’ve 
enough to keep the wolf from the door, and 


22 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


to leave our girls a little something when 
we can no longer care for them. Let us 
drink, first, to those dear old times.” 

So we drank to the '"dear old times,” and 
then Gaylord suggested the health of the 
representative from Slab City, and Bellows, 
beaming all over, hitched back his chair 
from the table, and said "he guessed he 
must go back to the polls ; it wouldn’t do to 
leave things long.” So we shook hands all 
round, and they departed. 

" Oh, mother ! only half past one o’clock,” 
groaned Kitty, looking up at the venerable 
timepiece that stood in the corner ; " what 
time does the sun set?” 

"Somewhere about five, I believe,” said 
my mother ; " but if you are going to sit 
still and wait for it, the time will seem 
very long. I think that I shall put on my 
bonnet, and run over and see Mrs. Jackson, 
who has been sick for a week, and I advise 
you and Hope to busy yourselves about 
something. If your father should be elected, 
we should have to spring to it to get things 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


23 


ready ; he would have to have half a dozen 
new shirts, at least, and you would not have 
so much time to run about.” 

After she had gone out, Kitty and I con- 
sulted as to what to do with ourselves. 

'' Make caramels,” suggested she. 

"No, Kitty; the bare idea, when we are 
so excited, of patiently standing over the 
fire, and stirring I What are you made of? 
I feel as if nothing but a vigorous walk 
would save me from spontaneous combus- 
tion.” 

" Well, then, what do you say to dressing 
up, and making our call on the new bride? ” 

"Kitt}^ The idea of dressing up, and 
sitting down with simpering little Mrs. 
Jones, and saying, with a sweet smile, that 
you suppose she enjoyed her bridal trip ; 
and did she meet many other brides at Ni- 
agara ? and wasn’t it delightful going about 
those romantic places with some one who 
so thoroughly understood and appreciated 
your feelings upon the subject? And then 
she will blush a little, and say, 'Oh, yes; 


24 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


that she had never known what it was to be 
happy before, or to have any one so devoted 
to her as Mr. Jones' had been ; and wasn’t 
it strange they all guessed that she was a 
bride? although she had told Mr. Jones, 
when they started, that she didn’t mean that 
anybody should suspect such a thing, she 
was going to be so sensible. Why, she 
never allowed him to kiss her before any 
one, except once, when he said, in such a 
pathetic way, that he couldnH helf it; and 
never laid her head on his shoulder, in the 
cars, unless she was so very,, very tired,, 
you know, when they had been travelling a 
long time.’ And then she’ll advise us 'to 
get just such a man as he is, if we only can, 
but she’s afraid he is not to be had ; ’ and 
we’ll smile and bow, as we rise to go, and 
say, 'We can hardly expect to; but won’t 
she come and see us very soon 1 ’ and — 
dear me ! Kitty, I’d rather make caramels.” 

"Why, Hope, how absurd you are ! But 
come, what will you do? I’m not going to 
propose anything more.” 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


25 


^Well, what if we should go over the 
river, and take some jelly to our forlorn 
friend ? That will give us a long walk, with 
a moral termination, and we can go by way 
of the Green, and see all the people.” 

So we put on our hats and started, pass- 
ing with some trouble through the crowds 
of men collected on the sidewalk, and look- 
ing with envious eyes on the little boys sit« 
ting on the park fence, listening with great 
eyes to the overpowering eloquence of the 
soap man, who, mounted on a table, was 
displaying his lather to an appreciative 
crowd ; or, better still, those who hung 
round the steps of the old town-house, 
watching the men as they went in and out, 
and listening to their opinions on the 
chances of the respective candidates. It 
was, on the whole, a quaint, busy picture 
that our usually quiet little green presented 
on this day of days. Every hitching-post 
in front of the stores, — every tree, was 
occupied. Here stood an old, broken-down, 
meek-faced white horse, fastened, with here 


26 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


and there a bit of rope, to supply the miss- 
ing strap, to a tumble-down, one-seated 
buggy wagon, the floor of which, covered 
with straw, accommodated half a dozen 
white-headed urchins, who, with their 
mother, a pale-faced woman, her youngest 
in her arms, had come to town with pa to 
do some shopping and have a peep at the 
great world. There an old bay, with a 
sort of subdued Are in its eye, stood nos- 
ing the post, quiet, though suggesting to a 
shrewd observer the idea that the deviltry 
inherent in his disposition had slipped ofT as 
far as his hind heels, and there, being 
stopped by his shoes, lay in a condensed 
state, ready for occasions. 

Further on, a horse of the kind called 
calico,” drooped its head fondly over the 
little ragged colt by its side, while, on the 
seat of the wagon, attached, rested an old, 
square-nosed dog, guarding his master’s 
property. Occasionally might be seen a 
lithe, graceful animal, with its smart, shin- 
ing buggy, bright robe, and long whip; a 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


27 


sturdy-looking pair of farm-horses, in a 
long country wagon, or an old, lumbering 
family carriage, indicative of decayed gen- 
tility. On the corner, an auctioneer was 
holding forth, surrounded by a promiscuous 
heap of chairs, tables, old stoves, pots, pans, 
and kettles. Men stood over the bureaus 
and bedsteads they had bought, in sheer be- 
wilderment as to what they should do with 

them, and with a kind of uneasy wonder as 
to what their wives would say, when they 
appeared with their burdens at home. But 

then, as everybody said, they were ”5^ 
cheap 1 ” '' actually going for nothing! ” 

It was a great day for the dry-goods 
stores. Calico, cotton cloth, flannel, and 
tape flowed in an unceasing stream from 
the yard-measure ; a great day for the 
candy-stores, for every child was sucking a 
stick of peppermint, or a Jackson ball, or 
bit of jujube ; a perfect harvest-time for the 
oyster-man, as I knew my father’s purse 
would testify, for I had heard him say in 
the morning that if the men wanted a lunch 


28 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


they should have it, and it should be some- 
thing that should stand by ihe^n. Every 
live man felt a little livelier, every merry 
man a little merrier, and the calculating 
man sniffed a bargain in every breeze that 
came to him laden with the odor of election 
day. The air was keen and bracing, and 
Kitty and I, once past the sights and sounds, 
walked briskly on, and were soon at the 
house of our friend, where, in the warmth 
of the welcome, and the interest excited by 
her recital of the list of grievances incident 
to all mankind, and especially to herself, 
we quite forgot to watch the declining sun. 
It was only as we came out of the door 
that Kitty exclaimed : ”Oh, Hope, how the 
time has passed ! We shall hardly have 
time to get home before the news comes.” 

Then we hastened on, over the long 
road, through the green, which was be- 
coming more and more crowded. At the 
end of the park stood a cannon, and men 
and boys were busy heaping up the old tar- 
barrels for bonfires. How my heart thumped 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


29 


away ! The sun was just sinking behind 
the mountain-top, and the shadows lay long 
over the frozen ground. We walked on, 
without a word, and turned the corner, into 
our own street. A few steps more, and a 
sudden light gleamed across our path, fol- 
lowed by a deafening roar, which shook the 
windows of the neighboring houses. I 
grasped Kitty’s arm, and we stopped, un- 
consciously looking in each other's faces. 
Another flash, and thunder, and two men 
came up the path, talking excitedly. 

"Oh, Kitty, dare not you ask them?” 

"Would you, Hope?” 

"Yes, do.” 

So Kitty made a little step forward. 

" Would you tell us, please, who’s elected ? ” 

The man looked at her, with a twinkle in 
his eye. 

"Why, old Squire Trist, of course.” 

Kitty didn’t stop to thank him, but with 
an ecstatic " Oh / ” ran down the bank, and 
across the street, and I was fain to do the 
same. At the back gate stood our man, 


30 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


Tim, and the cook, her apron over her 
head, waiting to learn the news. 

Oh, Tim ! oh, Hannah ! did you know 
that father was elected?” 

'^Sure, an’ is it so, miss? The Lord be 
piaised, said Hannah, raising her hands 
devoutly, while Tim’s lower jaw dropped a 
moment, in delighted amazement; then, 
recovering it, ” Hannah, honey, and wud ye 
mind givin’ a bit o’ maal to the pigs, till I 
get back, jist to stop their mouths? I’d 
like to rin down, and jist give one blast for 
the squ’are mesel’, as becomes a man in me 
sitivation ; and Tim went jogging down 
the street, on the speediest trot in which he 
was ever known to indulge. 

We ran into the house. Mother had not 
returned, but presently came in, smiling as 
comfortably as if it had all the time been 
an assured thing. 

Oh, mother, have you heard the news?” 

Well, yes, my dear ; I couldn’t v^ry well 
help it ; I started as soon as the firing com- 
menced, and half a dozen stopped me on 
the way over.” 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


31 


” And aren’t you 'perfectly happy ? 

"Why, Hope, that is saying a good deal.” 

"Oh, dear, I know it; but I am — I can’t 
help being. ’ 

And Kitty and I hugged each other, and 
danced round and round, very much to the 
astonishment of old Ponto, who, disturbed 
in his nap, crawled out from under the sofa, 
and added his voice to the chorus. 

" Mother,” said Kitty, stopping so sud- 
denly that it almost threw me over. " what 
do you think of an illumination? Isn’t it 
the proper thing for a representative to do? 
They’ve never had one in town, and it 
would please them all so.” 

"Especially the small boys,” said my 
mother. 

"Yes, indeed; they’d never get over it,” 
said Kitty, innocently, not perceiving the 
drift of my mother’s remark ; "do you think 
father would object?' I don’t believe he 
would have the heart to, to-day.” 

" No, my dear ; but he will probably be 
busy this evening, and will not have time to 


32 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


see about it ; and I must make my plans 
for company that may come to tea, or in 
the evening.” 

"Well, but, mother, I know all about fix- 
ing the candles, and Hope and I can get on 
very well, with Tim to help us. He can 
get the boards. Do say yes.'" 

" Well,” said my mother, thoughtfully, 
"I — don’t — know;” which we all knew 
meant yes. So we ran out through the 
kitchen to Tim, who was just coming in 
under the wood-house with his last wheel- 
barrow-load. 

"Tim, Tim, you must come and help us 
right away. Never mind the wood ; we 
shan’t want any more of it, for. we’re going 
to Boston, you know, this winter.” 

"Sure, miss, an’ is that so?” said Tim, 
good-naturedly, setting down his load ; " an’ 
will I be afther leavin’ the wheelbarrer here 
till the spring? ” 

"No, no, Tim; but I mean that we want 
you just now, in a great hurry. Bring one 
or two pieces of board, as long as the win- 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


33 


clows are wide (which is about a yard), 
into the sitting-room, and I’ll tell 3'Ou what 
we want of them. Now, Kitty, as to the 
candles ; how many are there in the box in 
the closet?” 

”What, mother’s best spermaceti ones, 
Hope? Why, mother, may we use those? ” 
coming into the dining-room where she 
was. Why, yes, to be sure we must; you 
know, mother, it will never do to use tallow 
ones, especially for the windows down stairs, 
and in the parlor ; the Fields and Pelhams 
all would laugh, and think that we didn’t 
know any better. We can be careful not 
to waste them, and we might use the tallow 
candles in the side windows, and clear way 
up in the attics and have the front of the 
others ; that would do. Now, Hannah, 
give us, please, all your good candles, 
and we must have them cut up into the 
right lengths.” 

”What, Miss Hope, all me best candles; 
that I’ve jest rin for the winter’s use ! Dear 
heart, childers; an’ what’ll ye be wantin’ 


34 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


more? Och, me nice, straight candles, 
that I set such a store by ! ” 

”0, well, Hannah, they are nice candles, 
I know : yours always are ; but when we’re 
all gone this winter, you’ll have nothing to 
do but to run some more. I guess Bridget, 
who lives at Mr. Pelham’s, would give twice 
as many candles to be able to illuminate for 
her master.” 

”Ah, an it’s jest so, mum. I’ll say no 
more about it. The Lord forgive me for 
thinkin o’ me poor candles, when the mas- 
ter’s so set up,” and she delivered the pre- 
cious box into my hands with an almost 
cheerful countenance. 

An hour of pounding, and sawing, and 
nailing, and. earnest debating, and running 
hither and thither, and over each other, and 
things were nearly ready. 

Mother called us to come to tea, if we 
had finished, as they wanted to have the tea- 
things out of the way, early. I had some 
slight misgivings — turning at the threshold, 
as I ran out of the parlor, for another look, 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


35 

— as to how the best curtains would look 
next morning when they were unrolled and 
unpinned from the hard knot into which I 
had twisted them, out of the way of the 
candles. But my father’s voice at the door 
suggested that the black satins and some 
other things might be uppermost in our 
minds, and it wouldn’t matter; besides they 
would have the winter in which to get over 
their wrinkles. And I ran and brought fa- 
ther to the door to see it all ; and he laughed 
and asked who fixed the candles, and when 
I told him, ''Kitty and I,” he brushed up 
my curls a little, and wondered if anybody 
else had "such bright children,” and I knew 
that his wonderment was real, although he 
said it in that joking way. 

He could only stay to swallow a cup of 
tea, as he said the men wanted him to see 
about something down at the town hall. I 
was too excited to comprehend exactly what 
it was ; but he promised to be back very 
soon. 

The rest of us sat down and pretended to 


36 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


eat a little ; but it was no use. And Kit and 
I danced off with gingernuts in our hands, 
to take one last look around the rooms, and 
then up stairs, to put on an extra bow, and 
subdue a little of the excitement that waved 
in our disturbed locks. And I wondered, 
as I brushed out the last shining curl, and 
tied on my blue ribbons, which were very 
becoming, what a certain fair-haired youth 
would say if he could see me now, and 
whether he would think so very plain. 
My nose was, without doubt, large, with a 
suggestion of an upward tendency ; and my 
eyes were rather small, and gray. I cer- 
tainly was not a beauty, and I turned away ; 
but then, — I held up the candle again, — 
I was not what might be called ugly ; pshaw ! 
as if I cared at all. He was probably en- 
gaged, by this time, to some dark-e3'ed Bos- 
ton belle, who could give him wealth and 
position in addition to her love ; for Herbert 
would never marry for wealth or position 
alone : and I ought to be glad of his good 
fortune, if I really cared for him, and — I 
hurried down stairs ! 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


37 


The clock struck seven, and we could 
wait no longer. In a moment all the can- 
dles were lighted, and Kitty, Hannah, Tim 
and I ran out into the street to see the effect, 
while mother, in her best cap and black 
silk, followed after in a more dignified man- 
ner, with a handkerchief tied over her 
head. 

"Sure, an’ it’s orful fine, mum,” said 
Tim, from behind, in a breathless voice. 
"Hannah, honey, aff it’s a proud sight for 
ye as rin the candles wi’ yere own hands ! ” 

"Och, Tim, an’ to think o’ me grumbling 
at those dear childers, who wanted ’em so 
bad: well, well, to think on’t ! But, I’m 
afeard, mum,” addressing my mother, " that 
ye’ll be afther getting yere rheumatism upon 
yer, if ye stan’ out here in the cowld.” 

"Yes,” said my mother, "and children, 
you’ve nothing on your heads. If it were 
any day but election day I suppose you’d 
take cold. You have looked quite long 
enough ; now come in. I didn’t think the 
old house could make such a show. But 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


38 

just see all those people on the sidewalk ! 
Can they be coming to our house? Where 
is 3"our father ? ” 

We hastened back, and met him at the 
gate just as the foremost of the group came 
up. 

” Well, neighbor Trist, we thought we’d 
come over and spend the evening, and visit 
with you, seeing as you’re going away so 
soon,” said the hearty voice of neighbor 
Johnson. ''You’ll find a good many of us, 
come to get us all into your house. But 
when you come to think that they’re all 
voters and well-wishers, I don’t know as 
there’s any too many. We brought the wo- 
men folks along, too ; for if they didn’t vote 
themselves they put other people up to it. 
Here’s my wife, here, wouldn’t give a dinner 
to a poor fellow, to-day, till he’d been down 
and voted for you. I told her I didn’t know 
about forcing terms on a hungry man ; but 
she said that he didn’t know enough to find 
out for himself, and she thought that Provi- 
dence put him in her way, to be set right.” 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


39 


'"Well, I always did say,” said my father, 
'' that Providence puts more helps in our way 
than we’d any notion of; the only thing we 
want is wit enough to know when to lay 
hold of them. But, come in, neighbors, all 
of you ; we’re right glad to see you. Come 
in, come in ! there’s always room enough in 
the old house,” and he led the way. 

" I say, Hope,” said old Mrs. Owen, 
won’t you take some of us out into your 
kitchen, without letting your mother know, 
and tell Kitty to show the rest up-stairs, to 
take off their things. Wh}^,” said she, in 
answer to my look of astonishment, '"you 
didn’t suppose that we’d all come in upon 
you without bringing something along with 
us, did you? We’ve been planning this 
surprise party for a week, in case your pa 
was elected.” 

” And were you going to Mr. Pelham’s 
instead, if he had been elected?” 

''La, no, child; he isn’t our kind, at all. 
No, in case he had been elected we should 
have stayed at home, and eaten up our own 


40 


Mr SISTER KJTTT. 


things. But now we’ll shut the door, and 
put the things in the kitchen ; and if you’ll 
get out some table-cloths we’ll go right to 
work setting the table, and then, after all is 
ready, we can go in and see the folks awhile 
before supper.” 

So I turned over the contents of the 
drawers, and got the longest and snowiest 
cloths that I could find ; and we brought in 
a table from the kitchen, and put it beside 
the dining-table, and pinned the cloths to- 
gether, and put the mats over the seams, 
and the effect was very good. 

Then we fell to work unpacking the bas- 
kets, which came pouring in, with kisses 
and congratulations from the merry bring- 
ers, who, of course, all stayed to help. 
And such baskets ! ” 

"Why, Hope, child,” said Mrs. Owen, 
laughing, "I shouldn’t think you’d ever 
seen anything to eat before. All you do, as 
tbe baskets are opened, is to stand and look 
in utter amazement. Susie Green, won’t 
you just take this turkey from my hands ; 
she doesn’t even offer to ! ” 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


41 


'^Oh, but I will, Mrs. Owen, only every- 
body has brought so much of everything 
that is good. • Why, if the whole town were 
to come, there would be enough ! ” 

''Well, you may have the whole town, 
for aught you know, before the evening is 
over ; there’s no reckoning how many will 
be here, for everybody knows your pa, and 
is so glad that he is elected ! ” 

"Except Mr. Pelham,” I suggested. 
"Well, next to himself, he’d rather have 
your pa elected than anybody. It won’t be 
many years before the turn comes again, to 
Slab City, and he’ll probably have it then ; 
he’s a young man, and can afford to wait.” 

^ Here mother’s voice was heard at the 
door: "Hope! where’s Hope! Why, is 
anybody out here ! What are you doing?” 

" Oh ! nothing, nothing at all, Mrs. Trist, 
only, you mustn’t come for the world,” 
shouted a dozen voices. 

"What, not a minute? I want to speak 
to Hope ! ” 

" No, no, not a minute. Hope may go 


42 


Mr S/STBR KITTY. 


out and speak to you, if she’ll promise not 
to tell what we’re about.” 

So they opened the door just a crack, and 
pushed me through the smallest possible 
space. 

" Hope,” said my mother, ''What is it? ” 

I put my finger on my lips. 

"Well, I can guess, for I heard the dishes 
rattle. Father says, tell Tim to get down 
the last barrel of cider from the corn-house, 
and get all the pitchers you can find., and 
fill them, for some of the men will be up, 
and want something. It’s pretty sweet, and 
won’t hurt them,” said she, musingly. "I 
must go back, now ; you’ll be in soon, won’t 
you? I’ve so many to talk to; and Kitty is 
busy seeing them as they come in.” 

I squeezed back, and sent Tim for the 
cider, and we hunted up everything that 
would hold, to put it in, and, at last, the 
tables being completed, we proposed to ad- 
journ to the parlor. 

" Don’t it look splendid?” said Mrs. Owen, 
surveying it all with a pleased face. And, 


Mr SISTER KITTr 


43 


indeed, it did ! At either end of the board 
lay an immense cold turkey, flanked by 
dishes of cranberry-sauce and cider apple- 
sauce. From the centre, rose a huge pyra- 
mid of green and rosy-cheeked apples. 
Good, deep, motherly chicken-pies, that 
looked as if they might have sheltered in 
their capacious beds half the feathered popu- 
lation of the village, and yet had coverlid 
to spare, stood here and there, each sur- 
rounded by smaller circumferences of mince, 
apple, pumpkin, custard, squash, and others, 
so numerous, that they could hardly come 
within the circle of her attraction. Rich, 
purple, pickled cabbage hung its fringes 
over the old-fashioned china bowls ; snowy 
mountains of ^ake rose from the corners, 
side by side with light, creamy biscuit, while, 
in the little nooks, where nothing larger 
could go, saucers of sunny quince jelly 
shook their shining sides, and cubes of 
good, wholesome cheese looked up with 
honest pride. We couldn’t find room for 
the cider, or half the plates of nut-brown 


44 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


oly koeks and crinkle-edged caraway cook- 
ies ; so we were fain to tuck them on the 
mantel-piece, or in the niches of the side- 
board. It was, indeed, as Mrs. Owen said, 
"splendid” to look upon. 

" O Hope ! ” said Kate Fields, as we were 
going out of the room, "just come back a 
minute, you haven’t seen the greatest thing 
of all, for I took it out while you were talk- 
ing with your mother. That is my loaf of 
cake, — the large one that is not cut, near 
the centre of the table, with the plums on 
top ; and I made it myself, and put a ring 
in. Of course, it is only for the young 
ladies, — there aren’t any young men, you 
know, in this region, — and. we’re going to' 
wait and count how many there are be- 
fore we cut it, so as to have the pieces just 
go round ; and, of course, you know the 
one who gets the ring. — there., don’t tell 
me that you do not know I — why, they get 
married first, of course ! Well, 3^ou needn’t 
blush about it; I do hope it will be you, 
though, for you’d make the nicest, coziest 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


45 


little wife. And, now, let us go in and see 
the fun, for I never heard such peals of 
laughter from such a staid set of papas and 
mammas before.” 

It was, truly, a very merry, social com- 
pany. My father stood in the midst of a 
little group of men, relating some funny 
story of the time when, as boys, they played 
together, and they alternately shook their 
sides with laughter, and wiped the perspira- 
tion from their brows, while their wives, — 
a little outside of the charmed circle, — 
smiled in sympathy with that which was 
beyond their hearing, or devoted their atten- 
tion to my mother, who, like most of her 
sex, similarly situated, — fond and proud, — 
was telling of vvhat the girls had been plan- 
ning for the winter, and what they meant to 
do. 

Kitty and I busied ourselves in replacing 
the candles, which were beginning to burn 
out, and then, it was so warm, that I thought 
I would just open the back parlor win- 
dow a little. How fresh and invigorating 


Mr SISTEI^ KITTY. 


46 

the air felt, as it came into the heated 
rooms ; I put my hot cheek down on the 
sill for a moment, — and almost cried out, 
— for a hand reached in and touched me 
through the opening, and a voice, not quite 
strange, said, "Don’t speak, but come out 
a moment to the side door ! ” 

I went ; and there, under the porch, stood 
somebody in a cloak, tall and manly, and I 
•' felt, rather than saw, that he had fair hair. 

" O Herbert ! I can hardly believe that 
you have come, after all,” I said, when the 
first greetings were over ; " it is so long 
since you have been here.” 

"Yes, Hope, it is a long time; and you 
don’t know how I have wanted to come. 
But, in my short vacations, I was obliged to 
be with my father, in Canada, and I kept 
waiting for the good time, which never 
came till now. And, at this time, I have 
only run away for a little while ; I am on 
my way to join him ; but, hearing that your 
father was one of the candidates for elec- 
tion, I thought I should like to spend this 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


47 


evening with you all, — if he were success- 
ful, — to offer my congratulations, if not, 
my sympathies. And here you see me. 
How glad I am that I could come, — I did 
not know how glad, until I came up this 
familiar walk, and saw you at the window. 
But we must talk fast, for I leave in the 
midnight stage.” 

O Herbert ! not here for one day, to go 
with us to the mill, the grotto, and all our 
old haunts ! ” 

” No, Hope, don’t tempt me ; I cannot, 
though I want to, so much. After this 
summer, when I graduate, I hope that I 
shall have a little time to spend, and I prom- 
ise you that my first plan shall be for this 
dear place. Then this winter I shall see 
you in Boston — how nice that will be ! — 
we will go about, and see ever so many 
places and things together, which we used 
to talk of, in those old days, as belonging 
to fairy-land. How far off Boston was, 
then, and what a great place to us ! ” 

'Ht is to me, now,'" said I, laughing. 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


48 

You know I am not changed, Herbert, as 
you must be, somewhat, by going about 
and seeing people. I am nothing but a lit- 
tle countiy girl still ! ” 

He laughed. '' I forget that we have not 
seen each other yet. Supposing that you 
should take me in to the light, lor a look, 
and then present me to your father and 
mother, and Kitty ; I presume I should 
hardly know Kitty ! ” 

” Indeed, you would not, Herbert. You 
don’t know how handsome she has grown.” 

He pushed open the door, and we went 
in. I dared not look up, but pretended to 
be searching for Kitty, as we passed down 
the hall. I knew that he was looking at 
me with his pleasant, but penetrating, gray 
eyes, and I felt that he smiled, for he 
said, — 

” No, Hope, you have hardly changed, 
though you have grown tall and womanly ; 
I am so glad. Don’t go in for a moment,” 
catching my arm ; let me stand here by 
the door, and give a look at the people be- 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


49 


fore they see me. There are your father 
and mother, just the same as ever; how 
good they do look! There’s Deacon Smith ! 
Does he come round the corner, Sundays, 
as he used to, in that old, sunbonnet-topped 
family carriage, with three generations of 
Smiths comfortably ensconced inside, and 
all the little Smiths on the front-seat with 
him, driving?” 

” Yes, indeed,” said I, laughing, just the 
same, only there are more little Smiths, 
now. And old Mrs. Smith, do you remem- 
ber how she used to sneeze in church, like 
a pussy-cat? It was only last Sunday that 
I came near laughing out loud at it. But 
they are real good people. Shall you ever 
forget that nice dish of apples that always 
stood on the sitting-room table, and how 
they used to fill our pockets with them, 
when we went down on errands for mother? 
I thought of it to-night, when Mrs. Srnith 
brought up a basket.” 

"No, indeed, I can taste them yet; and 
all the seeds which I used to eat up, after 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


SO 

they had spelled your name, Hope ! ” And 
he looked again, and I wondered if my face 
were anywhere near the color of Captain 
Jones’s, who stood a little way from us. 
''But, Hope,” said he, quickly, "do tell me, 
who is that tall, splendid-looking girl across 
the room, with dark, bright eyes, and the 
handsome hair?” 

"Why, Herbert, you don't mean to say 
that you do not really recognize Kitty ? ” 

" Kitty, little, frisky Kitty ! Why, how 
she has changed, Hope ; and how stylish 
and handsome she is. I must go and speak 
to her,” and he made three steps across the 
room, while I followed after. 

She was even more surprised than I, to 
see him. Kitty always said that nobody ever 
succeeded in astonishing me very much. I do 
not think that is so, but, to me, true friends 
can never be very far away ! I miss their 
pleasant words, and looks cf appreciation, 
oh, so much ! I long to have them near 
me, that I may watch the earnest thought 
come creeping over their faces, until, finally. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


SI 


it shines out in the tell-tale eyes ; or, if it be 
a dearer, tenderer one, plays in and about 
the characteristic lines of the mouth, — eyes 
may deceive — lips, never ! Yet still, when 
after a long absence, they come back to me, 
there is nothing new in their presence ; I 
always smile quietly to myself, and say, 
'' it is only the outward^ visible sign of the 
spirit ; you have 7iever really been away ; 
we have not been, as the world has it, 
separated ! ” I thought this, as I stood by, 
watching the group that quickly collected 
around this new hero of the evening. Father 
and mother could hardly have welcomed an 
own son more warmly. All the old men 
and women wanted a handshake from the 
handsome fellow^, who had been such a 
favorite with them ; and the pretty girls 
blushed up to their eyes, as he recalled the 
numerous huskings and chestnutting par- 
ties when he had been the beau for them 
all. 

What a taking fellow he is,” said old 
Mrs. Sizer, in my ear ; '' and right hand- 


52 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


some, too,” to which I agreed heartily. 
"Who did he come to see, eh, Hope? ” 
"Why, he came up to see us all, and to 
congratulate, or sympathize with father, as 
the case might be. Wasn’t it fortunate that 
he could come to-night?” 

"Yes, for he seems to enjoy it as well, or 
better than, any of them, and it gives him a 
chance to see all the people ; but, are they 
going out to supper so soon ! What time 
can it be? I thought we had just come ! ” 

" I guess you’ve been havin’ a' nice time, 
Mrs. Sizer,” said old Farmer Joyce, draw- 
ing out, with some effort, his great, silver 
"turnip,” and giving it a shake or two. 
" My watch is apt to run a little slow, but as 
nigh as I can calkilate, it’s nigh on to half- 
past nine. Supposin’ we walk out, now, 
and get a little bite, for I told our Sim to 
have the team come for me an’ my wife, 
about this time. He won’t mind waitin’, 
though, to see the bonfires and candles ; it’s 
quite a pretty show\ Miss Hope, I daie say, 
will find plenty of younger beaux,” 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


53 

”What! Mr. Joyce, here, in this town, 
that doesn’t boast of one young man? ” 

" Well, well, so it doesn’t, to be sure ; but 
there’s one over there” — nodding his head 
significantly — ''that’ll do for a dozen. 
Come, Mrs. Sizer ! ” and he trotted off with 
that good lady upon his arm. 

" I believe they are all leaving us for the 
supper-room,” said Herbert, turning round, 
" and I must endeavor to improve my oppor- 
tunities as the one youthful beau of the com- 
munity, — that is, — unless somebody else 
has appeared in the four years that I’ve 
been gone.” 

" No,” said Kitty, " not one single one of 
the ^ genus homo,'"''' 

"Hope” (turning round), "will you go 
with me ? ” 

" Not now, Herbert,” I said ; " you take 
some of the others. I shall be busy seeing 
that the rest are helped ; and we shouldn’t 
have any real chance for a talk, you know ; 
we will have that after the rest are gone.” 

He smiled, and offered an arm to Kitty, 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


54 

and to Kate Fields, while I followed on 
with the rest. 

Then came such a rattling of plates and 
forks, such chattering and laughing, such 
good cheer, generally ; it was perfectly ir- 
resistible. 

" Mr. Trist,” said Kate, across the table, 
after the excitement had somewhat subsided, 
and the ladies had begun to fold up their 
napkins and gather the crumbs from their 
dresses, while the cider went round again 
among the gentlemen. "'May I request you 
to cut that large loaf of cake into twenty- 
five pieces of equal size? and, then, Mr. 
Herbert offers to pass it around. It is only 
for the unmarried ladies, as there is a ring 
in it.” 

” Really, Miss Kate,” said my father, ”I 
did suppose that if there was one day in the 
year when ladies lost sight of the ' 7}iatn 
chance^^ it was in the hurry and bustle of 
election day ! ” 

” But, Mr. Trist, would you expect a per- 
son to be very much interested in a question 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


55 


for three hundred and sixty-four days, and 
not have a thought of it arise on the three 
hundred and sixty-fifth ! Besides, this was 
all prepared yesterday ! ” 

” Fortified on both sides, I see. Miss Kate, 
— woman-like; I will submit gracefully. 
Now, Herbert, if you will do the hon- 
ors.” 

So it went, with a good deal of joking, to 
each of the single ladies in the room, — not 
excepting Miss Silence Pettibone, — who 
was, at least, forty-five, and who said that she 
was determined to try "just once more.” I 
took the last piece, accepting, as my neigh- 
bor remarked, my fate,) without choice ; 
while all looked anxiously for the result 
of our progress. ^ 

" Why, Herbert,” cried Kate, her mouth 
half full of frosting, " I beg your pardon ; 
you ought to have had a piece, above all 
things ! The fact is ,) gentlejnen were ‘5^> en- 
tirely out of my thoughts, that it never 
occurred to me to count 3 "ou ! ” 

" Hardly a statement to be expected from 


56 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


the maker of the cake,” said my father, 
gravely, while Herbert remarked : 

" Never mind. Miss Kate. I shall have 
to perform my part, by taking the one 
who gets the ring ! ” There was a general 
laugh. 

" O Herbert ! after that declaration, think 
of the added disappointment of the unfor- 
tunate tw'enty-four ! ’ said I, raising my 
cake for another bite, when Mrs. Owen, on 
the opposite side of the table, clapped her 
hands, calling out : 

" Why, Hope, you’ve got it yourself! ” 

They all made a rush for my vicinity, 
and, sure enough, there it was sticking out 
of the side, very bright and shining. I 
heartily wished that I could have disap- 
peared in the depths of the chicken-pie, or 
under the table, or somewhere, but it was 
no use wishing; so I picked it out very 
coolly (that is, as far as my face was not 
concerned) , and was about to put it in my 
pocket, but they all insisted that it must be 
put upon my finger, and, of course, by gal- 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


57 


lant Mr. Herbert himself. I believe that he 
did it; — I don’t quite know. There was a 
moment’s hush, when nobody said anything, 
and I slipped off directly, to offer Mr. Joyce 
a glass of cider, which happened to be 
rather an unlucky move, as his peculiarly 
strict ideas on the subject of temperance 
were well known to every one in the room. 
Just then a loud report shook the house, 
startling all the hysterical old ladies out of 
their wits; and, directly, voices were heard 
in the street calling loudly for Squire Trist. 

”Now, squire, they’ve come up for a 
speech,” said Doctor Johnson, patting him 
on the back; '"go out and give it to them, 
and we’ll attend you.” 

So out we flocked, to the front door-steps, 
and to the windows, in whatever wrappings 
we could lay hold of, and my father mounted 
the horse-block under the old elm, just out- 
side the gate, cleared his voice once or twice, 
and said : 

Fellow-citizens, I accept the office of 
representative from this district, and will 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


58 

serve you according to the best of my abil- 
ities. In my opinion, the representatives 
have made too many law^s. I am in favor 
of having them remain as they are, unless 
a change should be for the benefit of the 
people, in which case I am for a change ; 
but, understand me, I am only for so much 
of a change as is for the public good.” 
(Great cheering. ” That’s the story.” ” Hur- 
rah for Squire Trist.”) He broke in, and 
said, "I thank you for the generous support 
you have given me, and for the approval 
you have given of my political principles, 
which I entertain in common with Glad- 
stone, and other distinguished statesmen. I 
hope I shall see you while at my labors in 
the State-house. 

"And now, my friends, come in, come 
in. Our neighbors have brought with them 
so much good cheer, that we shall need 
your assistance in disposing of it ; and I 
can give you, for my part, a glass of nice, 
rich cider, from my own mill.” 

Then cheer followed cheer ; for the squire, 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


59 


for the squire’s neighbors, and for the ladies. 
We flew back into the house, to rearrange 
the tables a little, while they all poured in. 
Fortunately, the sources of the good things 
proved unfailing, and many a poor, forlorn 
fellow enjoyed a good, hearty meal, and 
left with a nutcake or two in his pocket, 
which my thoughtful mother sent to ”the 
baby.” Then, after drinking my father’s 
health in the good cider, they filed, out, 
with pleased faces, and hearty God bless 
you, sirs,” and giving one more cheer for 
our honored representative,” followed by 
a discharge from the old cannon, that 
brought a few of our windows rattling 
down, they marched off in triumph. 

Then came the finding of everybody’s 
baskets, and plates, and napkins; and, 
after that, the shawls, and hoods, and rub- 
bers, which seemed to have strayed off into 
every possible out-of-the-way place ; then 
the cordial good-byes, and my hands were 
fairly lame, especially where the ring came. 

"I declare,” said Farmer Joyce, coming 


6o MT SISTER KITTT, 

under the hall lamp, and pulling the old 
watch out again, ''if it ain’t most eleven. 
I shouldn’t blame our team, wife, a bit, if it 
had gone off and left us.” 

Well, at last they had all gone, and the 
candles, burned nearly down, cast a fitful 
glare over the little group remaining ; but 
we put a fresh log on the fire, and it blazed 
up cheerily, as we gathered round. 

"Come, husband,” said my mother to 
him, as he stood musingly in the window, 
" we will say good-by to Herbert, and leave 
the girls to see him off, for it has been a 
fatiguing day to us. What are you pon- 
dering over, — the broken glass?” 

" I was only wondering, wife,” said he, 
with a smile, stepping carefully over the 
shining fragments on the floor, "whether, 
between the attentions of our friends, and 
the expectations of our gay daughters, we 
could afford more than one year of office ; 
what think you? Good-night, and good- 
by, Herbert ; we’re always glad to see you 
here, my boy, and I hope you’ll come to 


MT SISTER KITTT. 6 1 

see us when we get to Boston. Good-night, 
my children.” 

It seemed but a moment, as we sat there 
so cozily over the fire, Herbert, Kitty, and 
I, talking over the old times, and making 
plans for the winter, before the distant rum- 
ble of the old stage was heard. We went 
out to the steps with him, to say good-by. 
It brought back that cool morning, four 
years ago. 

^'The roses were all in bloom, Herbert, 
when you last left us.” 

"Yes, Hope, I remember ; ” and he kissed, 
in the darkness, the hand with the ring on, 
said good-by, and was gone. We hastened 
in out of the cold, and sat down a moment 
before the fire. 

" Hope,” said Kitty, " he is real handsome, 
isn’t he? ” 

"Yes, Kitty : ^"^nd what a fine beau he’ll 
be for us this winter. Oh, I’m so happy to 
think that father is elected, I don’t know 
what to do ; and how charming everything 
was to-night; and how nice that Herbert 


62 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


was here, — I know he enjoyed it. And 
how funny that it should be you that had 
the ring ; he always liked you. I only 
wish you could have seen your own face.” 

” Why, Kitty, did I look anything? ” 

'' Oh, no, nothing at all ; only one of 
your delicate rose-color flushes, you know, 
dear.” 

''Well, Kit, I’m sure I don’t see who 
could have helped it.” 

" Nor I either, dear sis ; don’t be furious ; 
I only wanted to tease you a little. But do 
come up to bed ; I’m so tired.” And, seiz- 
ing the last flickering candle, she ran off, 
while I lingered, setting back a few chairs, 
by the light of the moon, which streamed 
in through the uncurtained windows, and 
dreading to have this day come to a close, 
in which I had been so happy ; and, as I 
sat down on the low windo^^-seat, watching 
the feeble light of the bonfires on the green, 
I felt so sorry to think that for every joyful 
family there must be a disappointed one ; 
and I was glad that Mr. Pelham was a 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


63 


bachelor, and had no one in particular to 
mourn over his loss ; for it is so much 
harder to be disappointed for one whom 
you love dearly than for one’s self. And, 
remembering the loving kindness that had 
answered my prayer, crowning the anxious 
day with so much happiness, my heart was 
filled with thankfulness to Him who had 
given us this pleasant thing. Then, as the 
old clock in the corner struck one, turning 
away regretfully, I pulled out the andirons, 
and, having covered the glowing brands 
with the soft, white ashes, followed on 
slowly up-stairs, where, laying my weary 
head on the pillow, I soon fell asleep, and 
dreamed that I took off my precious ring, 
and gave it to Kitty. 




PART SECOND. 


CHAPTER I. 



T was not quite six by the tall clock 
in the dining-room, as we sat toast- 
ing our feet around the fire, — the 
morning after Christmas, — three of the hap- 
piest souls alive. 

At last,” as Kitty said, 'The feminine 
element was renovated, and in a situation 
to represent, with honor, the ii.terests of the 
people of Slab City.” Hannah was flying 
around, warming bricks for our feet, and 
urging the necessity of starting upon full 
stomachs, while she presented the hottest 
of coffee, and the most tempting of buck- 
wheats, with an equal want of success, in- 
terrupted by mother, who was reiterating 


MT SISTER KITTT, 65 

last, warning words, — "to be careful of 
fire, and to keep the doors locked.” 

Tim had been dragging out the precious 
results of our labors for the past month, to 
the end of the piazza, carefully stowed 
away in mother’s big leather trunk. Kitty’s 
new hat-box, and the little, round calfskin 
trunk, which grandma had had made for 
me a birthday present, with my initials, 
"H. T.” in brass nails, on one end. One 
bandbox reposed quietly on top of all, for 
we could not possibly get all our things in ; 
but I had put a brown-linen cover upon it, 
so that, as mother said, "No one would 
think particularly about its being a band- 
box.” 

The room looked so cheerful and cozy, as 
the rays of light streamed out from the fire- 
place, and were answered by the flickering 
candles from the table, that I half wondered 
if anything in all Boston could be pleas- 
anter, and suggested to Mrs. Pussy, who 
sat winking by the fender, that, perhaps 
after all, she might have the best time of it 


66 


Mr SISTER KITTr. 


at home, so safely sheltered from the tempt- 
ations of society, — at which remark Kitty 
laughed scornfully, and asked if I had not 
better make up my mind to remain with her ! 
There was no time to reply, for a jingle of 
bells, and the creaking of runners on the 
snow, broke the silence outside, as the stage 
turned up to the gate, and we hastened to 
gather together our wraps and travelling 
baskets. 

I could not help thinking, as we went out 
into the frosty starlight, of the last time that 
we came to meet the old stage. Then, the 
ground was bare, and the full moon bathed 
us in its soft, rich light, while now, the 
snow lay folded close over all, and a pale 
crescent floated among her stars like some 
redeemed and purified spirit, far removed 
from earthly cares and passions. I could 
have wished that the little new moon, with 
its sympathetic young face, full of bright 
hopes, — like, a girl’s, — had looked down 
upon us as we started, everything seemed 
so cold and uncertain, and far away. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


67 


But while I was thinking these things we 
were being tucked into the stage, and care- 
fully wrapped up by the driver, Tim, and 
Hannah ; while the sleepy passengers opened 
each an eye, and looked curiously upon our 
proceedings, and one old lady whispered to 
her neighbor on the back seat, Three 
trunks and a bandbox ; I guess they Ve goin’ 
to make a stay of it.” 

Well, we were off at last. I did not feel 
like talking, and leaned back in my seat, 
watching, through a chink in the great 
leather curtain, the quiet stars looking down 
upon the expanse of snow-covered fields 
and woods, with the cold, dark outline of 
the mountains beyond all, and wondering, 
in a helpless kind of way, what this great 
outside world, in which we were so soon to 
take a part, was like. I wished that I were 
as much as forty years old, and settled 
down, and knew the portion that I was to 
have in it, — past all the timid, fluttering 
hopes, and fears, and dreams, that haunt a 
giiTs life, and make it such a painful, deli- 


68 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


cious weariness. Are people past all this 
at forty? Do they outgrow it? Shall I 
ever be so old? 

Mother and Kitty fell asleep with the 
rest, and the whole assemblage nodded and 
blinked at each other in a most confidential 
way, keeping time to a low bass chorus. 
Only the crack of the driver’s whip, and 
the cheerful jingle of the bells broke the 
morning stillness. The stars faded out, 
one by one, and the east began to glow 
faintly with the flush of coming day. Here 
and there, a thin wreath of smoke curled 
up into the frosty air from the chimney of 
a wayside cottage, and a light gleamed 
from the little window out across the snow, 
telling of another busy day begun. 

About seven o’clock, we drew up at the 
hotel in a small village, to change horses, 
and here the passengers wakened and 
shook themselves. Some of the men got 
out, and went in, while the women pulled 
out great papers of luncheon, and fell to 
work upon their breakfast. By the time 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


69 

we started again it was quite light, and 
every one sat up and looked about him, 
preparatory to ” dropping into remarks.” 

The first man thought "they had not as 
much snow down this way as where he 
came from,” and the second wanted to 
know "where that from might be.” Then 
they talked over the prospects of a hard 
winter, and a late spring for crops, and 
farming operations in general ; and mother 
got on her spectacles, and made a mild re- 
mark about something Mr. Trist had said 
of the weather in Boston ; whereupon some 
one asked if " that was Trist, the representa- 
tive from Slab City ; they used to know a 
second cousin of his.” 

In short, before we reached the junction 
at noon, we knew where every person had 
come from, and where he or she was going, 
and they all knew that we were Squire 
Trisfs wife and daughters, and were going 
down to visit him in Boston, where we were 
to board ; and what we expected to do ; as 
well as all about election day, and our party 


70 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


in the evening. The fat man, my neigh- 
bor, had promised to call on us in the 
spring, when he brought down a load of 
cheese, and had invited Kitty and me to 
visit his daughters in "sugaring time.” 
The old lady in the opposite corner was 
going to visit her daughter-in-law, in Bos- 
ton, and said, with a nod of her head, she 
would come and see us, and bring her son, 
” right smart fellow, in the drug business, 
and a great hand for pretty girls.” So, at 
the end of our journey, we parted with a 
cordial hand-shake, and went our several 
ways. 

Mother, Kitty, and I, after many mis- 
givings as to our baggage, were fairly em- 
barked on the train, and the world did not 
seem so doubtful a thing, after all, with 
such kindly people round us, and the genial 
sun shining down upon all. 

It was at sunset time that we came in 
sight of the city. How beautiful it looked, 
rising from the water as we approached it, 
more like the "city of pearl, and the sea 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


71 


of glass,” in Revelation, than anything 
that I had ever seen. I had no idea that 
there could be any beauty in a city itself. 
I suppose that I must have looked aston^ 
ished, for the gentleman who shared my 
seat — a pleasant, intelligent man, who had 
told me a good deal about the places we 
passed — smiled, and asked me what I 
thought of it. He seemed amused when I 
told him, and said that distance, in this 
case, as in many others, lent enchantment, 
as Boston was considered rather objection- 
able, on account of its narrow, crooked 
streets, but that I should find in it many 
objects worthy of admiration. 

As we were coming into the depot, he 
gave me his card, saying that he should 
probably meet my father at the state-house, 
and with my permission would call upon 
us, to inquire how I liked the city upon fur- 
ther acquaintance, and perhaps he could 
help us to see some of the pleasant things. 
I don’t know exactly what reply I made, for 
at that moment who should appear but our 


72 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


papa, looking just as natural as ever, and 
by the time that our first delight was over, 
the man had disappeared, and I had dropped 
the card. I was so sorry. Papa, however, 
went back and found it, and we looked at 
the name, — Mr. John Harding, — a very 
good name, we all agreed. But we had 
not much time to think of it, as papa has- 
tened us out, and called to one of the nu- 
merous hackmen, who were waiting, like 
so many beasts of prey, to fall upon us. 

How grand it seemed to be going to the 
house in such a nice carriage, with a span 
of horses. I whispered to papa that I had 
just as lief walk with him, if it cost too 
much ; but he pinched my cheek, and said, 
" No ; we would all go up together in style 
for once ; the daughter of a representative 
must not condescend to make her first ap- 
pearance on foot.” I think that he said it 
in joke, for papa is too settled down in his 
independent ways to have become proud 
from a month’s living in the city, though I 
dare say those who are less sensible than 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


73 


he may have had their heads turned by the 
attention they receive as strangers. I al- 
ways used to think, when I was translating 
my Caesar in the Latin class, what an hon- 
orable thing it must be to be appointed as 
ambassador at a foreign court, and to appear 
in the presence of royalty. 

It seemed very miraculous that our trunks 
should come to their destination without 
any trouble. Father asked the man if he 
charged extra for three, and he said, "No, 
not for such as these ; ” giving what I 
considered quite a contemptuous toss to 
my beautiful little hair trunk. Our poor 
bandbox, alas ! was a sight to behold. It 
was nearly flat, with Kitty’s and my best 
bonnets in it, and we had been so particular 
about the shape, and the little raised coronet 
on top ! So much for my pride. I might 
have carried it, but Kitty said she wouldn’t 
be seen with it, and mother said, " Do as 
you please.” I was thankful that I had put 
on the linen cover ; for if I had not, the 
things would all have dropped out. I quite 


74 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


agreed with the driver, who remarked, as 
he held it up by the strings, ” Them things 
weren’t never meant to travel in cars.” 

It was quite dark when we drove up to 
our boarding-house, which looked very pa- 
latial in the uncertain glimmer of the street 
lamps. Father said, as he led the way up 
the steps, "This, my dears, was formerly 
quite a fashionable part of the city, — the 
houses have really an aristocratic look ; but 
now it is entirely given up to boarding- 
houses and stores.” It was quite a comfort 
to hear this. Kitty and I had been a little 
afraid, privately, that we should have to go 
to some very cheap place, where the people 
would be common and second-class, and it 
seemed rather hard, when we were the first 
people at home. Besides, second-class 
people from the city always seem more 
vulgar than countr}^’ people of the same 
standing. I don’t think it is their fault. I 
suppose that a kind Providence makes up 
to them in some other gifts, for the loss of 
a certain refinement which must creep in- 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


75 


sensibly into the heart and nature of an}^' one 
who walks upon green grass and flowers, 
and breathes the spic}^ breath of the woods, 
and hears the singing of the stream, even 
though he do it quite unconsciously. Of 
course, we do not mean to be aristocratic in 
the country ; nobody seems to have any 
right, unless it be the beautiful trees, and 
the grand old mountains, and perhaps the 
tiger-lilies in the front yards. 

Such a happy evening as we passed, all 
together once more ! We had tea served in 
our room, as it was so late that we could 
not prepare for our first appearance. Papa 
would have liked to take us out somewhere, 
to celebrate our arrival, but mamma said, 
'"No, we must get settled, as to-morrow was 
Sunday.” So we unpacked and put away, 
and then drew up around the grate, and 
talked until late of all that had happened 
since we met. 


76 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


CHAPTER 11. 

Kitty and I were up early the next morn- 
ing, for she said first impressions were every- 
thing, and we must make a very particular 
toilette for breakfast, as every one would be 
sure to examine us from top to toe. So I 
resigned m 3 ^self, and prinked very patiently 
before the glass for at least half an hour, 
and Kitty, after a little pull here and there 
at my hair and bows, pronounced me ''vastly 
respectable,'’ adding, by way of advice for 
the future, " Now, Hope, if you would al- 
ways take as much pains, you could look 
very well ; you must study your style ! ” I 
couldn’t help sighing, in spite of the com- 
pliment, for I suppose that a waterfall is my 
style, and it is such a labor to get up one or 
two ever}^ day. Kitty says that she should 
do it if she were all alone by herself in the 
desert of Sahara. She always does look 


SISTER KITTT, 


77 


beautiful and stylish. When the last fin- 
ishing touches were given, we had yet a 
little time before father and mother were 
ready, which we improved in examining 
our quarters. The room was small, with 
one window, which looked out into the side 
of somebody’s house, about three feet dis- 
tant. How I missed the far-off stretch of 
meadows, and the outline of the hills against 
the sky, softened by the fringe of trees 
growing upon the summit, which always 
greeted my waking eyes at home, — always 
the same, yet always different, like the face 
of a familiar friend. But father's cheery 
voice made itself heard, inquiring if we 
were not coming in to take a front view of 
things. Here it was much better. The 
sun shone in brightly, and gave even the 
stiff block of stores opposite a certain genial 
expression ; but it is wonderful how rooms 
and their fittings will be so characteristic of 
the life of their occupants. It all had such 
a boarding-house look ! 

The sofa bore unmistakable signs of the 


78 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


weariness of its successive occupants, the 
Solferino curtains hung down with a de- 
jected air, as if they were tired of trying to 
please everybody, and the walls, somehow 
or other, reminded me of old Colonel Rob- 
bins, who spends a week or two every sum- 
mer at Slab City ; — they had the same dis- 
gusted sort of expression. Poor man ! he 
looks very disagreeable ; yet, I often wonder 
about his life, — he seems so little like the 
rest of people. I noticed that some scholarly 
people in speaking of him used a French 
adjective, which sounded like our blasted. 
I do not remember exactly what they said ; 
but, always in thinking of him, I have the 
idea of a flower which has been carried 
about in the cars, and has reached its des- 
tination all soiled and withered. It will not 
revive fully with all your care ; it does not 
seem to have the courage to start up again 
with the stain of the world upon it. Not 
that he is at all like a flower, — and yet 
when he was little, he ma}^ have been a 
pretty baby, — and I suppose it was only 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


79 


the combination of his natural tendencies 
with circumstances which, together, brought 
him down. 

I wonder if people are better in the end, 
whose daily life does not flow in accordance 
with their desires. I wonder if it would be 
better for Kitty, who would shine so in 
society, to live in some out of the way coun- 
try place, and wear old clothes. 

We gather flowers in the woods and fields, 
and bring them to our homes to fade and 
be thrown away, while their companions 
that are left go on ripening seed and filling 
out their life to the very end, if there ever is 
an end to those who sow for the future. It 
seems a pity, though, that they should never 
be seen. There^ must be a heaven even for 
flowers, I think. I wish I had a wise 
friend whom I could talk to about all these 
things. I wonder if I might find one in all 
this city ; there surely ought to be one 
among so many. Herbert, I don’t think 
could tell me. 

Mother’s cap was fixed at last, and we 


8o 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


went down to breakfast. As Kitty had 
said, everybody looked interested, and stared 
as politely as possible, and, after we were 
seated, papa introduced us all around. 
He seemed to be a general favorite ; and 
they were all very kind in asking how we 
bore the journey, and in making the dozen 
or more remarks which constitute the stock- 
in-trade of kindly disposed strangers. 

Then there came a pause, and I looked 
anxiously at the company. There was a 
nice old gentleman at the head of the table, 
whom I decided to adopt as a friend for the 
family. Next him a young couple, who 
had evidently only lately started upon the 
journey of life together, — she, gentle, un- 
interesting, anxious to please, — he, tall 
and dark, with a fierce expression of mous- 
tache and whisker, which was singularly 
contradicted b}^ the retreating chin. Then 
came several widows in various stages of 
preservation and hopefulness, with purple 
ribbons in their caps, and hair in their 
breastpins ; and a pale-faced clerk or two. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


8l 


What a fortunate thing it is, that almost 
everybody has some good points which 
come out upon farther acquaintance. I 
could not help feeling a kind of hopeless- 
ness at the thought of meeting these people 
at every meal, though I knew that I should 
perhaps feel even a little regretful at part- 
ing from them in the end. 

Breakfast was so late that we had to ex- 
cuse ourselves, and hasten, in order to be 
ready for church. Papa took us to one that 
was beautifully dressed for Christmas-day, 
with greens and flowers. I never before 
saw anything so wonderful as it was, and 
how they ever did it, I am sure I cannot 
tell. All the boys and girls at home worked 
for a week getting the greens, and winding 
wreaths, before our fair, and it all together 
was not as much as one corner of this ; and, 
as for flowers, we had none, excepting some 
made of pop-corn, — on wires, — set in 
bunches of laurel-leaves, which every one 
said looked very natural. 

It seemed very strange to see so many 


82 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


fixings on Sunday. I could not keep my 
mind on the service at all ; I kept counting 
the camelias in the wreaths, and the num- 
ber of tuberoses between them ; and then 
I thought that I would remember how 
the pulpit was done, so that I might tell the 
girls at home about it for our post-oflice, 
which W'e generally have in the old desk in 
the Town Hall, at our strawberry-festival. 
We do not decorate our churches. I am 
afraid old Parson Knapp would faint with 
surprise if we should. And, just as I was 
in the midst of it all, the minister said, "Let 
us pray,” and I felt shocked to think I had 
been so wicked. I tried to lean back in the 
pew, and cover up my eyes, but Kitty pulled 
my dress, and made a motion that I was hit- 
ting the end of my feather against the high 
pew-back and rumpling my curls, so I sat 
up very straight, and read from my book. 
I could not keep the place at all, for they 
skipped about, and went so fast ; and, look- 
ing over to find the index, my eye fell upon 
the title-page, — "The prayers of the First 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


83 


Unitarian Church.” So there we were in a 
Unitarian Church, among those wicked peo- 
ple, whom Deacon Eldredge was praying 
the Lord to rend asunder and confound 
utterly, — poor, misguided souls ! 1 should 

never have thought it of them ; they looked 
as good and peaceable as any one in Slab 
City. They gave very good attention, with 
the exception of some of the young men, 
who yawned and stroked their moustaches ; 
but, then, our young men do that. And 
the older ladies appeared much more ab- 
sorbed than they do with us, — they put 
down their heads so meekly, and did not 
nibble caraway-seeds, or stir up the coals 
in their foot-stoves. 

Then that beautiful prayer in their book, 
"'We have erred and strayed from Thy 
ways.” It does not seem as if Qod would 
let them wander very far, if they kept say- 
ing that over from their hearts. I wonder if 
Deacon Eldredge ever saw any Unitarians. 
How surprised he would be if he should 
find, when he got to heaven, that, for some 


84 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


reason, which we are not now to know, 
they had been let in too ! 

As we got up to sing I could not help 
giving a glance around. I did not know but 
by some chance Herbert might have come 
to see the decorations ; he always admired 
such things. I always seem to think of him 
in church. Perhaps it is because I have the 
same sort of safe, rested feeling that I have 
with him, as if all thought or care were 
taken away for the time being. 

Alter church, papa took me up to see 
Kate Fields, who is boarding here with an 
aunt. The servant, who was a colored 
man, and very polite, took us into a beauti- 
ful parlor, and said he would inquire if she 
would see us. Father laughed, and said 
he guessed there wasn’t much doubt about 
that, but the man acted as if he thought our 
chances very slight. 

Presently, down he came, and took us up 
two long flights, at the head of which Kate 
was waiting for us. 

Do you have a parlor all by yourselves,” 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


85' 


I asked, as she lishered us into a room with 
lace curtains, and flowers, and ornaments 
of all kinds. 

" Oh, yes, of course, everybody does in 
Boston ; it isn’t considered the thing to take 
your friends in where every one can inter- 
rupt you, and hear what you say. Besides, 
boarding-house parlors are always so cheer- 
less, and you can’t take people into your 
bedroom.” 

" But we shouldn’t mind the callers we 
have, Kate ; there’s nobody but Herbert, 
and he’s used to going all over the house at 
home.” 

'' Why, my dear, don’t you expect to 
make any acquaintances? You know that 
you and Kitty must pick up some beaux 
while you are here, and Herbert may want 
to bring some of his friends to call with 
him. We have a little bit of a bedroom 
back, and I dress in the parlor, and we 
brought some of our books and things to 
make it pleasant, and every evening some- 
body or other comes in to see us, ~ there 


86 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


are so many nice people in the house, — 
quite the elite. How I wish that you could 
board here ; it is only twenty dollars a-piece 
per week, with a few extras.” 

"Twenty dollars! Why, Kate, we pay 
eight, and feel almost ruined I We couldn’t 
pay more, possibly. Our people, I think, 
can’t be the ^lite, but then they’re quiet and 
respectable. I feel as if we ought to be 
very thankful for that, and I expect to enjoy 
it very much, especially the going about. 
Now, when will you come and see us ; for 
papa is looking at his watch, and I know 
that it must be near dinner-time?” 

What to do for a parlor puzzled me all 
the way home, and grew to be a profound 
anxiety, as we looked, for the first time, 
into the drawing-room of our landlady, on 
coming out from dinner. Such a forlorn 
place as it was, with its large-patterned, 
faded carpet, stiff, haircloth furniture, and 
big gilt vases on the mantel, before the 
mirror. Not a book on the table, not a, 
cheerful thing in the room, except the por- 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


87 


traits of two children in long pantalettes 
and pigtails, holding a wreath of flowers 
between them, which put Kitty into a spasm 
of laughter. How could any one make 
themselves agreeable in such a room? 

Once up-stairs, I confided my woes to the 
family. 

” I don’t know what I can do for you, my 
dear,” said my father, pushing his specs on to 
the top of his head. "There isn’t another 
room in the house, and if there were, we 
could hardly aflbrd it ; but I’ll do anything 
you propose,” and he settled his specs again, 
and buried his face in his paper. 

" I know it’s the thing,” said my mother. 
" I remember those Peases that came up to 
Slab City from^New York, how particular 
they were about a parlor in the hotel, where 
nobody would have troubled them ; but I 
don’t see what we can do ? ” 

" I know of one thing, mother, if you’d 
like it! You and father take our room, 
and move out the bed from this one, and 
Kitty and I can make up a bed on the 


88 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


floor every night, and keep the mattress up 
against the wall in your room in the da}'- 
time ; then the washstand we could put 
behind the door, with the big haircloth 
rocking-chair in front of it. What do you 
say to it, mother, — wouldn’t that be 
fine? ” 

Mother smiled. ” I don’t know about you, 
girls, sleeping on the floor. You will have 
the hardest part of the arrangement ; but if 
father agrees, I will speak to the landlady 
about it.” 

So it was all arranged, and the next 
morning we had a vigorous overturning of 
beds and furniture. Father laughed quietly 
to himself as he sat in one corner reading 
his papers, with one eye upon our proceed- 
ings. As he went out, he slipped a five- 
dollar bill into my hand, whispering, If 
you can get anything with that to make the 
little room look pretty,, do it.” How rich I 
felt, and how much five dollars judiciously 
expended would do. I walked up to the 
old Solferino curtains, and gave a tug at 


MT SISTER KITTY. 89 

them, — "Hateful things, these shall come 
down first ! ” 

" But, my dear,’’ interposed mother, 
alarmed, "five dollars, won’t buy damask 
curtains ! ” 

" No ; but, mother, couldn’t we get the 
commonest white muslin, and make some ; 
they would be clean, at any rate, and look 
better than these ! ” 

"Well,” said my mother, meditatively, 
" we might do that, and they would do after- 
wards for the best chamber at home ; we’ve 
needed some this long while. If you and 
Kitty feel like going after them this morn- 
ing, we could make them right away be- 
fore any one came ; you can just slip on 
your hoods, it’s a snowy morning, and there 
won’t be many out.” 

So Kitty and I put on our new hoods, 
which grandma Reynolds had sent us ; they 
were black, with a pink border for Kitty, 
and a blue one for me, — nice warm ones, 
— with long ends to tie over, and mittens to 
match. "Just the things,” grandma said. 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


90 

”to wear in Boston, where the east winds 
were so piercing.” 

It was very quiet in the little street where 
we lived, but as soon as we turned out of it 
we encountered a crowd of people hurrying 
along as if they minded the snow as little as 
it minded them. We found a shop at last, 
and some curtain-muslin, which we thought 
quite prett}" and cheap. I was thinking, 
as we waited for our change, what we 
should buy with the rest, when Kitty turned 
round quite fiercely, and said, — 

” Hope, we haven’t seen a person yet with 
a hood on ; I’ve looked at every one ; they 
wear their best bonnets every day. We 
must go right home ; I wouldn’t meet any- 
one for the world ! ” 

It did seem as if Kitty was right. Even 
the children, and the poor people, if there 
were any, didn’t wear anything but bonnets 
and hats, — it was a pity, I thought, this 
cold weather. How difthrent the world is 
in different places ! 

I could hardly tease Kitty to go on a little 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


91 


farther, and spend the rest of our money, 
she seemed so thoroughly depressed. The 
first thing that caught my eye was an ivy. 
We thought that would be so pretty to train 
on our curtains. Then we bought a little 
vase and bracket of a poor man, who was 
selling them out on the sidewalk, in the 
cold. 

I was holding the ivy and bundles in the 
back part of a store, while Kitty was look- 
ing at ribbons, when we heard a familiar 
voice say, — 

''Why, Hope and Kitty, are you here?” 
and, turning round, I nearly dropped every- 
thing, for there stood Herbert, looking so 
tall and handsome. I couldn’t shake hands, 
for mine were so full, but he didn’t seem to 
mind, for he shook them, bundles and all, 
until I begged his kind consideration for my 
ivy, whereupon he laughed and took it him- 
self, in spite of my entreaties. "I might 
have known that Hope would have a bit of 
a green thing about her, even if it were in 
Boston, in the midst of a snow-storm. What 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


92 

are you doing, Hope? trying to make a 
backwoods out of your room ? ’’ 

" Only trying to make it a little homey, 
Herbert, so that you may like to come and 
see us in it. Did you know that we were 
here, and were you coming? ” 

'H was going up to the State House, Hope, 
to ask your father, this ver}^ day ; and now 
I am going to walk home with you, and 
carry your things. Only wait here a min- 
ute, while I speak to my friend who is out 
waiting for me by the door.” He put down 
the ivy, went to the door, saw his friend 
depart, and came back to us, taking our 
bundles and leading the way out, after a 
moment. 

We did not go home the way we came ; 
he took us round through a quieter street, 
where he said it would be easier walking. 
I was sorry, for I liked to see all the peo- 
ple, but Kitty seemed pleased, though she 
had a vexed little flush on her cheek which 
puzzled me, and she left the talking to me, 
which was so unusual, that I thought Her- 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


93 


bert noticed it. He went in with us to see 
mother, and have a little talk, and we 
showed him all that we were going to do. 

” It will look famously when it’s all done,’’ 
said he, ” and I’ll bring in Gray, to call, if 
I may. Gray’s my chum, and he’s heard 
me speak of you, and seen your father.” 
Then, as it was dinner-time, he said he 
must go, and promised to come the next 
evening. 

wish he’d stay at home, and keep 
Gray with him,” said Kitty, with a stamp 
of her foot, as the door closed. 

” Why, Kitty, what has happened now? 
I thought something was the matter.” 

Simply that Herbert has grown a little 
fine, and was ashamed of his country friends 
when he met them in the store. That was 
Gray with him ; I knew him from his pho- 
tograph ; he might have introduced him 
then, if he’d wanted to ! ” 

” But, Kitty, you were ashamed of having 
on your hood ! ” 

'' Of course I was ! I’ve a perfect right to 


94 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


be ashamed of myself, but he hasn’t to be 
of me ! However, I’ll make it up to his 
majesty, — I’ll flirt with Gray. You needn't 
blush, Hope, for him; he didn’t for him- 
self.” 

" Why, Kit, you are real mean ; I don’t 
believe he thought of the thing, — it isn’t like 
him ; but if he did, I think it was in kind- 
ness. He probably knew that first impres- 
sions, as you say, are everything, and Gray 
is a city fellow, and wouldn’t allow for it, as 
he could.” 

"Now, Hope, don’t exasperate me by 
finding excuses for all that fellow’s mis- 
deeds. When you have a friend, you seem 
to think that everything he does is accord- 
ing to law and gospel, which doesn’t say 
much for your experience in human nature. 
You allow them to lead you by the nose, 
and it’s my private opinion, that if you 
hadn’t had me to look after you, you’d have 
been at sea in the bowl with the ' wise men 
of Gotham ’ long before this. Do put another 
pin in your waterfall, and twist your bow 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


95 


round to the right. I shall keep you up to 
the mark, now, if only for the sake of that 
provoking Herbert.” 

You won’t say a word about it to father 
or mother, Kitty,” I whispered, as we went 
down-stairs to dinner. 

No, no, you goose ; I won’t disparage 
him in the eyes of the world, for your 
sake.” 

We were finishing off the curtains by the 
last rays of daylight, when there came a 
knock at the door, and the maid handed in 
some things which she said had been left 
for us. We hastily removed the wrappings, 
and there was the most beautiful basket, 
filled with plants, and vines trailing down 
over the sides, ^ with '"Hope,” in Herbert’s 
handwriting, pinned on the handle. 

O Kitty ! how beautiful to hang in our 
window, and how kind of him. Don’t you 
feel condemned for your hard thoughts? ” 
Humph ! it’s easy enough to send pres- 
ents,” muttered Kitty, — only half appeased, 
— ” but I declare, Hope, this is pretty,” (as 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


96 

she dived into the other bundle.) '' I don't 
know but ril forgive him ; I’ve always 
wanted a ' statoo’ so much, and just look at 
this one of 'Una and the Lion,’ — how 
lovely ! ” 

Even mother was not forgotten, for an- 
other knock came, and the loveliest little 
work-table was handed in, — of brown 
wicker-work, — with fancy little baskets, 
lined with crimson silk, on the top, and a 
good, deep, motherly one below, to hold 
substantial things. I don’t know which 
was the happiest of us three. The tears 
came into mother’s eyes. 

” The boy remembers every one,” she 
said. " It’s too handsome to use, though ; 
you girls might keep some of your best 
work in it.” 

" Oh, no, mother, that would not please 
Herbert ; you must have it by your side, 
filled with sewing, when he comes in. 
Nothing is too good, now. Are we not all 
Representatives? ” 

It did look very bright and cheerful as 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


97 

father came in. He stood in the doorway, 
and held up both hands. 

Don’t stand there, pa, but come inside, 
and tell us if it is not pretty,” cried Kitty, 
dragging him in, and shutting the door. 

The soft muslin curtains fell to the floor, 
and were looped back with ribbons. In one 
window stood the work-table, and in the 
other hung the basket, while Kitty’s stat- 
uette stood on the bracket, and the little 
vase between the old gilt candelabra, — rem- 
nants, I suppose, of our landlady’s father’s 
departed grandeur. At least, as Kitty said, 
they had not the crime of being cheap and 
new, and that was something ! 

” If we only had a picture or two,” I said, 
one to put overcthe mantel-piece, and one 
over the sofa, to hide that yellow spot on 
the paper, it would be quite perfect. Now, 
I wonder who our first callers will be. I 
wish we could run out and find a four-leaved 
clover. Kit, to put over the door. There’s 
no telling who’ll come ; it might be our fate, 
you know.” 


98 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 


" To be sure, it will probably be Herbert, 
and everybody thinks he is Hope’s fate, 
now.” 

" Why, Kitty, how can you say such 
things; I shan’t enjoy him a bit. You 
know it isn’t so ; I never — ” 

"Why, Hope, how can you flush such a 
becoming red, and get into a rage with your 
little sister, all on account of a fellow you 
take so little interest in? If it will please 
you any better. I’ll agree that he is smitten 
with me, and you don’t stand any chance. 
Come, laugh a little, you know you want 
to.” 

" Kitty Trist, I’ll not condescend to argue 
with you ; you're enough to provoke a 
saint ! ” 

"Am I, my dear. I’m glad to have your 
word for it, for I’ve set my heart on provok- 
ing Herbert. I haven’t quite forgiven him, 
and I mean to be utterly oblivious of his 
presence, and devote myself to Gray. 
There’s nothing like letting men think 
you can live without them,” and Kitty 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


99 

sailed across the room, and arched her 
pretty brows before the glass. 

We were not left long in doubt as to our 
callers. Kitty was still absorbed in the 
contemplation of her charms, and I was 
standing on the window-seat, giving a little 
water to my precious basket, when father 
opened the door from the hall, saying, "Yes, 
walk right in, and you will find my wife and 
daughters.” 

We turned hastily, and there stood the most 
condescending old lady I had ever seen, look- 
ing about her with keen, bright eyes, and, 
just behind her, the man who sat beside me 
in the cars. His face looked quite like an 
old friend’s, — now, that I saw it again, — 
and was such a relief, after his mother’s, — 
for it was evident that she bore that relation 
to him, — that I went forward with rather 
more warmth of manner than I intended, to 
greet him. He presented me to her, saying 
that she was an old school-mate of my 
mother’s, and that he had brought her to 
renew the acquaintance. 


lOO 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


Kitty motioned to me to place the rocking- 
chair for her, facing the windows, and back 
to the yellow spot, and stepped to the next 
room to call mother, while Mrs. Harding 
said to me, in rather a lofty way, that her 
son had spoken to her of his pleasant meet- 
ing with me in the cars. She had a pecul- 
iar way of saying, ” My son ; ” it seemed to 
say, he is my son, and I trust will never es- 
teem any one more highly than his mother.” 

For the first time I looked at him curi- 
ously ; he was at least forty, — pleasant, 
and refined, and quiet-looking. But I could 
not help thinking how he would look beside 
Herbert, who was so fresh and fair, and 
straight and tall. I suppose it was this that 
gave me courage to say, carelessly, that 
Mr. Harding was very kind and polite, as 
we were ladies travelling alone, and unac- 
customed to the care of baggage. 

She seemed relieved, "and said, with some- 
thing of real kindness, 'H discovered that 
your mother was an early friend of mine. I 
remember her with a great deal of pleasurk, 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


lOI 


and hope that I can do something to make 
her stay pleasant for her, as she is a stran- 
ger here.” 

Poor little mother ! how nice it would be ! 
I had been so afraid that, while father had 
his business friends, and Kitty and I our 
young people, she would have no one in 
particular. I quite forgave, as I thanked 
her, her motherly jealousy. If I had an 
only son I dare say I should feel just so ; 
and she looked as if she were quite inclined 
to excuse me for being myself. By this 
time mother had come in in her best cap, 
and was talking over her early experiences, 
so I sat still, and took a realizing view, — a 
" sense of things,” — as mother calls it. She 
certainly would have looked very lovely to 
any one, with her kindly, sensible face, and 
cordial manner. I thought Mrs. Harding 
was pleased. 

Mr. Harding evidently appreciated father, 
and thought Kitty handsome. I could see 
it in his face. A thoughtful face he had, 
— full of kindness, — with clear eyes, and 


102 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


a manly voice ; bald, though, on the top of 
his head, and just a trifle worn, as if he 
had never been quite free. His mother 
held the string lightly, it is true, but firmly, 
and, though it was long, yet there was an 
end. If she had not been his mother all his 
life, she could not have held it. I wonder 
what people would be like if they grew up 
only one in a family. I suppose we all hold, 
or are held. 

My meditations were interrupted by a 
knock at the door behind me, — a man 
with two pictures for Mr. Trist. 

Papa, these for you? ” 

"For me, certainly,” said my father; 
" bring them in here, John, or whatever 
your name may be. You remember, my 
dear, you were wishing this afternoon for 
a picture to cover that spot on the wall” 
(alas, Kitty, for your care, as he nodded 
at it — the big chair turned round — and 
looked), "and one for the mantel-piece; 
and I thought in a minute of these two, 
which I had seen in the window of an auc- 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 


103 


tion-room, down in one of the side streets, 
so I put on my hat and ran down, and asked 
him what he’d let me have them for, and he 
said he didn’t know, but, as I wanted them 
so bad, he’d say five dollars apiece, and 
they’re just as good as new, only a little 
scratched on the frame, where nobody ’d 
notice. He said they came from one of the 
grand old houses on Beacon Street, and 
they’d never have parted with them, if they 
hadn’t been going to Europe to stay, and so 
they let him have them. Just wait a minute 
till you see them ! ’ and my father, who had 
been gesticulating earnestly above the pic- 
tures, turned them over and began to untie 
them. 

Kitty, whose (face was like a cabbage- 
rose, here interposed, gently. " Never 
mind, now, papa; our friends won’t be in- 
terested ; they can see them when they 
come again.” 

No, no, it won’t take a minute ; I must 
have you see them; here it comes ! Now, 
Hope, look, — 'The Landing of the Pil- 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


104 

grims/ and ' Christopher Columbus in sight 
of Land/ — two good historical pictures, 
that’ll do to hand down to our grandchil- 
dren, with nice, wide, substantial frames, — 
rosewood, too, or imitation of it, — and only 
ten dollars ! I didn’t quite feel as if I could 
aflbrd it, but they were so cheap, and I 
thought wife and the girls would be so 
pleased.” 

Now, if anybody ever did live, to whom 
all respect and affection are due, it is surely 
Christopher Columbus and the Pilgrim Fath- 
ers, and I had wept many and many a time 
over their respective sorrows, and thought 
of them with still increasing reverence, — 
but, somehow, that gallant young man, 
with a cloak swung gracefully over one 
shoulder, staring with wild eyes over the 
water, never recalled to me the great-hearted 
adventurer ; and when I surveyed the group 
upon the frozen shore, it seemed to me 
such a feeble representation of what that 
most -thrilling moment must have been ! 
And here they were, our own, to be a part 


Mr SISTER KITTr, 


los 

of our daily life ; as such things must be to 
quiet people, who have so few. I looked 
up involuntarily in despair, and caught 
Mr. Harding’s eye, then hastened away to 
my father, who waited for my sympathy. 
After all, what was worth a thought, save 
the love that had sacrificed self to give us 
this pleasure? And I kissed him, and said, 
''Thank you, papa, for remembering our 
extravagant wishes ; I am sure they will 
remind us of all that is noble and beautiful.” 
And I took the stiff old Pilgrims, and the 
dashing Christopher Columbus, into my 
heart forever. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harding did not remain 
long after, but they made us promise to 
dine with them in a few days. 

Mr. Harding slipped over to me a mo- 
ment, and said, " I see that you appreciate 
pictures ; I shall enjoy so much showing 
you those that I have been collecting for 
some years past. There are so few who 
really care about them.” 

"It will be the greatest privilege to me,” 


io6 


Mr S/STBI? KITTT, 


I said, " for I have seen so few. How I 
shall anticipate it ! ” 

He looked pleased, and was going to say 
something more, but Mrs. Harding turned 
round and said she was waiting. 

We had a pleasant call afterwards from 
Herbert and Gray. Kitty looked and acted 
her prettiest, and I could see that they were 
both charmed with her. Father and mother 
had retired. Father said, " the young folks 
must excuse them ; they would have just as 
good a time alone, he presumed,” at which 
Gray smiled a little, and Herbert blushed. 
I don’t suppose that is quite the way they 
do things in the city, from what I’ve heard. 
Kate said it wasn’t considered the thing to 
leave young ladies and gentlemen alone 
together, but I am sure I don’t see why, for 
if they were gentlemen it would make no 
difference, and if they were not, I am quite 
sure that the meekest woman would have 
enough spirit to protect herself from any 
rudeness. I wonder that any man is brave 
enough to face an indignant woman. 


Mr SISTER KITTr 


107 


Kitty and I congratulated ourselves that 
night, as we brushed our hair out over the 
fire, upon our first evening of reception. 

”It was all so nice, Hope,” said she. 
" The room looked fresh and pretty with 
our new things, and we were all in good 
spirits and good order. But oh, Hope, isn’t 
pa incorrigible ? Could anything ever make 
him sophisticated — if there is such a word? 
Did you ever know anything like it? Not 
merely to spend his money for those horrid 
pictures, but to tell how much they cost, 
and that they were second-hand, from an 
auction, before the Hardings and Gray ! — I 
wouldn’t have minded Herbert, for he knows 
us, — and then to mention that spot on the 
wall, after all the trouble I’d taken to turn 
that thousand-eyed old dragon with her 
back to it ! I do declare, it’s too much. I 
sometimes think it’s no use trying to be 
genteel, with such a dear old honest pa.” 

” I know it’s discouraging, Kitty, but I 
think they were all sensible enough to un- 
derstand it. Father is so thoroughly good 


io 8 mt sister kittt. 

and straightforward he can afford to be 
himself, without any airs and graces. 
Mother, too, shows just what she is, — a 
plain, country lady, without any preten- 
sions. It is only we, Kitty, who aren’t 
anybody or anything, that have to struggle 
up the ladder of appearances ; and I some- 
times think we try a little too hard; but 
then it’s natural for us girls, who have so 
many wants, and no particular place. How 
nice it will be to go to the Hardings’, and 
see their beautiful house. I can hardly 
wait. You must watch, Kitty, and remem- 
ber everything, so that if we should have 
company we could do the same in things 
that would be suited to our style.” 

Never fear for me, Hope ; nothing es- 
capes me. It is you who dream over things 
in general, and catch the sentiment, with- 
out the special application.” 

" I know it, Kitty ; I was advising myself, 
as well as you. But come, we must pull 
down our mattress, and prepare to close our 
eyes in the midst of all our new magnifi- 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


109 

cence. What would people say if they 
knew that our parlor was our bed-room? 
And yet I dare say that we are not the only 
people in the world who put the best foot 
foremost.” 

We were all in a great state of excite- 
ment on Thursday, preparing for our first 
dinner-party. Kitty went round all the 
morning with her crimps put up so tightly 
that she couldn’t wink without groaning, 
and I had a long curl in papers. Mother 
was pinching and plaiting her best cap and 
frills, and none of us could settle down to 
anything. We went at last so as to be 
there just five minutes before the hour. 
Father insisted on starting before, and 
mother was inclined to listen to him ; but 
Kitty was firm, and what she couldn’t en- 
tirel}^ accomplish by argument she did by 
strategy, going back after her handkerchief 
after we were in the street. Indeed, she 
confided to me as we went along that, 
sooner than arrive at that countrified hour, 
she would have fainted and been carried 


no 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


into a druggist’s. I was so glad that it was 
not necessary. I thought we all looked 
quite nicely as we paraded round before the 
full-length glass in the elegant chamber, 
It is so nice to take a realizing view of one’s 
self! Kitty had on the black silk, trimmed 
with the remnant of the satin dress, and 
I a heavy blue w^atered Irish poplin, that 
mother used to wear when she was much 
younger, and slighter in figure. I thought 
it would be much more stylish than a cheap, 
new silk, and besides, the money that would 
cost would trim this with velvet, and the 
rest, added to Kitty’s fund, wouW get her a 
very nice one. Mother gave me some old- 
fashioned real thread lace for my neck and 
wrists, and Kitty insisted on my wearing 
the only rose our basket boasted, and said, 
with my waterfall up high, and my curl, I 
looked quite aristocratic. I thought if I 
could look as pretty as she did, I should be 
satisfied. Mrs. Harding received us very 
kindly, and Mr. Harding beamed all over. 
It makes it very inconvenient for a woman 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


Ill 


to have a man look so overwhelmed with 
pleasure at her presence ; she has to be- 
come a stock or a stone, to preserve the 
balance. There were only an old gentle- 
man and rather a solemn young one there, 
and we went almost immediately out to 
dinner* Mrs. Harding was very kind to 
me, and told me she had saved me a place 
by her. I was very glad that papa could 
be opposite, and the nice old gentleman the 
other side. How I wished that it could 
have been Kitty and I instead of Kitty and 
mother, on each side of Mr. Harding ; we 
CQuld have had such a nice talk. 

The affair was conducted with a good 
deal of ceremony, and we had ever so 
many courses of things I knew nothing 
about ; but I did as Kitty told me, took a 
little of each thing, and ate it as if it had 
been a matter of complete indifference to 
me, and had been my daily fare. Unfortu- 
nately, Mrs. Harding asked me if I liked 
•mushrooms. I was astonished at the ques- 
tion, and told her yes ; that I thought they 


II2 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


looked quite pretty growing in the green 
woods, they were of such bright, soft tints. 
She smiled, and said that she was speaking 
particularly of the taste of them ; that per- 
haps I had not noticed those on my plate in 
the sauce. I was quite crushed, and re- 
membered that I had seen them once on a 
bill of fare, and that papa said they had 
them at handsome dinners. I was so glad 
that Kitty didn’t hear me ; she would have 
died of mortification, and I shan’t tell her. 

I don’t think myself it was anything to be 
ashamed of. We have other things to do 
in the country than to hunt up strange and 
wonderful things to eat. 

My old gentleman then began to tell me 
about the mushrooms of different countries, 
and I found out that he had been quite a 
traveller. Almost all the rest of the dinner 
was taken up with tales of what he had 
seen. I was so glad, because I did not 
have to say anything. 

After dinner, Mr. Harding came up to • 
father and me, and asked if we would like 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


II3 

to look at the pictures. Kitty and the 
nephew who had escorted her from dinner 
were already strolling around the room, and 
the rest were sitting in a corner talking ; so 
we joyfully accepted the invitation. 

I never saw or dreamed of such paintings 
before , such cool rivers, and green mead- 
ows ! such glorious forests, and limpid 
lakes, and snow-crowned mountains ! " I 

really think, Hope, if I’d seen these before, 
I shouldn’t have bought our new ones,” said 
my father ; " they’d be nowhere alongside 
of these.” 

''No, father ; but we could not afford 
paintings, and they would not agree with 
our surroundings. We will be satisfied 
with photographs and engravings, if we 
may sometimes have a peep at such as 
these.” 

"That’s very true,” said my father; "and 
yet nature will be nature everywhere. 
Look at that brook there ; it’s no prettier 
than the one under our trees, and it seems 
to belong to the old house. If I could only 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


II4 

get one for you like it, Hope, I’d risk the 
surroundings.” 

I thought myself that I should be willing 
to do so, but told papa that we would wait 
until our ship came in, and we passed on. 
I was particularly interested in Mr. Har- 
ding’s private sitting-room, which opened 
out beyond the elegant library. I had 
known so few men, — and never any who 
had united wealth to cultured tastes, — I 
wanted to see how they would spend for 
personal comfort and pleasure. 

Then, too, Mr. Harding gave one the 
feeling that there was so much beyond that 
quiet, gentle exterior, that I could not help 
a little desire to read a few secrets from his 
surroundings. He was very kind and pa- 
tient in telling us about the pictures and 
their best points, and about the artists who 
painted them, some of whom he knew. I 
felt as if I had a little capital to start upon 
when I looked at others. I could not help 
wondering at one which he called his fa- 
vorite. It was a picture of a barn and 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


farm-yard. The upper half of the door 
stood open, disclosing the goodly store of 
grain. Upon the hay-mow, just within the 
door, stood a lordly cock, surrounded by 
his hens, looking down contemptuously 
upon two poor old sheep who stood with 
meek and patient faces out in the frosty 
twilight, looking so longingly at the wealth 
of comfort and shelter so near and yet so 
far from them. A feeble little lamb was 
hugging up to its mother’s side, as if to 
gain some warmth and comfort from that 
unfailing fount of love. The sun was 
sinking lower and lower behind the cold, 
blue hills, the ghostly moon looked coldly 
down upon them ; you felt the night creep- 
ing on as you looked ; it was pitiful beyond 
measure. 

” It is a picture that would wring a wo- 
man’s heart,” said I, struggling with a tear, 
as he turned to me; '^it will do for men. 
No one says to them, 'You can’t come in,’ 
and looking at this might remind them to 
be patient and kind.” 


Il6 MT SISTER KITTT, 

''You seem to think that nothing is de- 
nied to the so-styled 'lords of creation,’ 
Miss Hope.” 

"No, not so much that, Mr. Harding; 
but it seems to me that there is so little 
which they cannot secure by patient and 
persevering effort, while they can never 
know the feeling of utter helplessness that 
overcomes a woman, at the thought of 
being left alone and unprotected.” 

He looked as if he would like to say 
something in reply, but instead closed his 
lips more tightly, and we went on to others. 
Before very long, Mrs. Harding sent a 
servant to say that our company was desired 
in the parlor. 

Here we found the others enjoying a cup 
of tea and some cake. "Those were two 
interesting young men whom we met at 
your rooms, Miss Kitty,” observed Mrs. 
Hardingj presently. " If I had been suffi- 
ciently acquainted, I should like to have 
invited them to meet you. I know that 
young ladies enjoy the society of gentle- 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


II7 

men of their own age, and my son and I 
are rather out of young company.” 

My son ” put on that peculiar expression 
which I had observed before. I looked at 
him again, and began to doubt if he were 
as much as forty. Kitty answered for us 
both, '^Oh, no, Mrs. Harding; I am sure 
that we wish nothing of the kind. Hope 
and I do not depend upon young company, 
Up in Slab City we think nothing of age, 
if only it were a coat instead of ^ petticoat. 
You see we get so tired of all woinen^ and 
IVe heard Hope say, time and time again, 
that a man wasn’t anybody until he was 
about thirty-five ; an opinion which I do not 
in the least share with her ; ” giving a sweet 
smile in the direction of the stiff youth by 
her side, who blushed to the roots of his 
hair at the implied compliment. ”I don’t 
quite see how she can say so,” continued 
Kitty, ” for Herbert is only two years older 
than she, and has always been her chief, 
particular beau.” Oh, Kitty, Kitty, Mr. 
Harding and I couldn’t help hearing every 


Il8 MY SISTER KITTY. 

word, and I felt myself growing redder and 
redder every moment. 

” Oh, Herbert is the one who is so tall 
and fair; a handsome fellow. Miss Hope,” 
and she nodded approvingly at me. 

” Herbert has always been just like a 
brother to us both, Mrs. Harding,” said I ; 
but I fancied that Mr. Harding looked 
keenly at me, and for some reason or other 
I felt so "flustered,” as old Bridget says, 
that I don’t know what I should have done 
if they had not all risen to take their seats 
at a whist-table. The old gentleman had 
departed, and Mr. Harding had to make 
the fourth at the table, so that Kitty and the 
youth and I were left to look over a port- 
folio of engravings, which Mrs. Harding 
remarked that "young people generally 
enjoyed.” If I might only have had her 
son to tell me about them, I suppose I 
should. 

I wondered if he liked whist ! 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


119 


CHAPTER TII. 

How the winter slipped away we hardly 
knew. We were busy all the time. When 
there was nothing special to do, we all went 
out, and walked about, looking at the 
handsome houses, and beautiful public 
buildings, and at all the knickknacks in the 
shop windows. 

There were always beautiful pictures in 
the galleries. I felt as if that were our 
greatest privilege, and once we went into 
an artist’s studio with Herbert. Most of 
our dissipations were with Herbert. He 
and Gray would come round and take us to 
the theatre, or to a concert ; it was all won- 
derful. I liked Gray; he was a pleasant, 
straightforward fellow, and fell in easil}^ 
with our ways, although one could see that 
he was accustomed to very different ones. 

We often had very pleasant evenings 


120 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


when Mr. Harding was there with them, 
which was frequently the case. Kitty was 
generally overflowing with fun, and seemed 
to inspire all the rest; she said it was 
enough to animate a clod of clay, to have a 
man and a half apiece sitting in the room ; 
but it didn’t affect me so, although I liked it. 

About this time, Herbert’s father brought 
home his new wife to Cambridge, and we 
all went to call upon her, and liked her 
very much. She was very kind and polite 
to us, and asked us to her receptions sev- 
eral times. She seemed especially pleased 
with Kitty, and said that she wished that 
she could persuade father and mother to let 
her stay with them the rest of the season, 
and go into society ; but Kitty, though she 
brightened at the idea, said that she could 
not leave me. 

We had to work pretty hard to get our- 
selves ready for several occasions. Kit'y 
and I made white tarletans, because they 
were prett3% and above all, cheap. I could 
not help thinking that it did not quite pay 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


I2I 


for me. I didn’t exactly know what to do 
with myself if I didn’t sit in a corner and 
watch Kitty. She was so full of sparkle 
and gayety, tripping through the dances 
which she had so lately learned, and mak- 
ing mistakes with such a pretty air of as- 
surance, chatting the while with her own 
partner, and throwing out a bright word to 
every one that she met. It was wonderful 
to me ; it took all my careful attention to 
get through the figures, and the time was 
so short that I could not think of anything 
to say, and the rattle of voices was so great 
that it drowned all my ideas. It got to be 
dull, even with Herbert. It seemed to me 
that I had nothing in common with him in 
this brilliant life which he was leading, in 
this gay society of which he was a part. 

With Kitty it was so different. They 
looked beautifully together. He often said, 
when we were talking, '' After all, Hope, 
there is no one like our Kitty ; she is fasci- 
nating ; I am proud of her ; arn’t you ? ’’ 
Of course I did not need to answer. I think 


122 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


that his new mother was pleased to see him 
with Kitty. I do not think that she thought 
that he paid me attention from choice, and 
often when we were sitting down for a few 
words together, she would come up and 
say, — 

" Now, Herbert, I am going to stay with 
Miss Hope ; she does not seem to care for 
dancing ; run and take Kitty before she is 
surrounded.’ Thus it began to be a matter 
of course that I walked into the adjacent 
rooms with certain odd, mateless people, 
and grew nervous and afraid when I was 
asked to dance, and said that I would rather 
look on. 

Several times I met Mr. Harding at these 
gathrnngs, and then I was always sure of a 
happy evening. We wandered away into a 
quiet place, and seemed to find everything 
to talk about. I should have enjoyed it so 
much, only Herbert surprised us once or 
twice, and looked so keenly at me, when he 
saw my pleased face. Could he think — 
but, no, such an idea would be too absurd, 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


123 


— Mr. Harding, a rich and cultured man, 
with all the world before him from which 
to choose, and I — who, and what was I? 
Ah, it was very plain that he, whose good- 
ness shone in every lineament of his face, 
was only giving from his abounding stores 
to one so limited in opportunities for acquir- 
ing that information which an aspiring 
nature craves. 

Oh, but my heart was very heavy at times ! 
What a world it was ; so different from what 
I had pictured it at home. Kitty seemed 
to enjoy it, but I felt out of place, and 
strange. Why was I not like other people? 
Should I ever have the courage to go away 
from home again? And, Herbert, what 
did he think? did he have this feeling when 
he came from us to mingle in it all? No, 
I think, like Kitty, he had found his right 
place, — they were both so full of bright- 
ness, — how much they could do together — 
oh, God! together? and Kitty might have 
so many^ and I could have only one. Oh, 
if we had all of us lived our quiet lives in 


124 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


Slab City, and had never known of this 
great world, which could have gone on just 
as well without us. And yet, Kitty ! how 
I have longed to have her beauty known 
and appreciated by all these who pass me 
by ! And Herbert, will he not be a great man 
among these men of whom we read, and to 
whom we look from afar with reverence as 
the men of our times, known in all coun- 
tries? Oh, what have I been dreaming of, 
I, who have nothing but a life’s devotion to 
offer ! 

Kitty said to me after we had retired to 
our room that night : Hope, I am begin- 
ning to open my eyes, and so must you. 
Mr. Harding doesn’t come to these sociables 
for nothing. Mrs. Clay said, to-night, that 
she was amazed to see him at these com- 
panies ; that he never went to this sort of 
thing. When he isn’t stealing off with you 
to some quiet corner, he has the most pa- 
thetic, bored look I ever saw on a man’s 
face.” 

"Well, the fact is, we’re the old folks of 


Mr SISTER KITXr 


125 


the party, Kit ; almost every one else seems 
to have more taste for general chit-chat 
than we. I am sure, I depend upon him 
for all my enjoyment ; and we have so many 
tastes in common that we never seem to get 
talked out.” 

” You’d have a famous establishment, 
Hope, and he’d be real good and loving, 
always. That old dragon of a mother-in- 
law, though; she has, as my dear 'Sherry’ 
would say, 'an unforgiving eye and a 
damned disinheriting countenance.’ You’d 
have to have me live with you to fight 
your battles ; but I wouldn’t stop for her, 
she might die off after a while.” 

" O Kit ! don’t talk so ! Since you ap- 
prove so highly, I wonder you don’t fasci- 
nate him yourself. You know you’ve noth- 
ing to do but to decide ; they’re sure to 
fall ! ” 

"Thanks, dear sister, for the compliment, 
but I couldn’t quite do that ; he’s almost too 
good. It’s not that Ido not admire amiable 
people more than others, and wish to be 


126 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


like them, and all that, but they always did 
rub me up the wrong way. Now, I can be 
quite goody when Fm with people who are 
disposed to go wrong, and exert what you 
might call a ?noral injluence ; but if I lived 
in the house with a minister, Fm quite sure 
that I should go back to the old original 
Adam, that people are accustomed to lay 
all their sins to ; — I should end, by rubbing 
his nose with his sermons. I know I should ! 
I, — oh, it makes me shudder to think what 
I might do ! Now, you are so different, 
and I should feel so relieved if you were all 
settled in life, with everything you wanted, 
books and pictures, etc. Only think of it, 
Hope ! " 

Well, Kit, if you’ll console Herbert.” 

Kitty gave me a piercing look, which 
deepened into a smile and blush, when she 
saw that I smiled also. Yes, I was right, 
and my little sister agrees with me that 
some quiet man would be best for me ; Her- 
bert is above, beyond me. His wife must 
be a brilliant woman. And why do I rebel? 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


127 


Do I not love them both better than myself? 
I looked into the glass next morning to see 
if I were pale. No, thank heaven. I have 
no tell-tale face. I think that I could go to 
my death without moving a muscle, with 
my color fair and bright. 

We were very busy all the next day, pre- 
paring for a party in the evening. Kitty 
and I were to wear white dresses, with blue 
trimmings. I had been saving to adorn my 
hair, a little wreath of forget-me-nots, which 
I had purchased some weeks before. I 
could not help thinking, as I selected it, 
— though it was foolish, — how Herbert 
would like it, he was so fond of such things, 
and always liked to see me in blue ; but it 
would have taken away all my courage to 
have him speak of it that night, so I went 
and laid it on Kitty’s shining braids. She 
looked like a queen. 

'^But, Hope,” she said, why do you give 
me this ? I thought you cared so much for it.” 

” No, Kitty, IVe taken a fancy to wear a 
natural flower to-night ; I have a sweet, 


128 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


white rose that will be just the thing; be- 
sides, Herbert will admire you in this.” 

Kitty stole a pleased look in the glass. 

"Well, Hope, to think that ever you 
should resign Herbert so calmly, even to 
me ! I should have said that you were con- 
stancy itself.” 

" I don’t know what you call constancy, 
Kitty,” I said, half angrily. "I never had 
the chance to resign him ; we were never 
lovers, that I know of.” 

" Oh, no, not that ; but I always supposed, 
for some reason or other, that you were 
made for each other. I had a kind of feel- 
ing ' in my bones.’” 

"You’d better not trust your bones next 
time. How shall we tie our sashes, Kitty?” 

To my surprise, we had a call from Mr. 
Harding in the morning. He chatted for a 
while very pleasantly with mother and me, 
as we sat sewing in the parlor, and, just be- 
fore he went, asked if he might not call for 
us that evening, in his carriage, and take 
us to the party, as it was to be some dis- 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


129 


tance out of town. Kitty was out. I rather 
thought that she had planned, the night be- 
fore, for Herbert to take us, so I told Mr. 
Harding that I thought we must refuse his 
invitation. But he said that, at least, T 
could go with him, and if Kitty went with 
Herbert, we could meet her there ; and if it 
happened that she had not made the ar- 
rangement, she could go with us. I did 
not know whether it was proper for me to 
go alone with him, — nothing troubled me 
so much in Boston as the question about 
proper things to do. A great many things 
were thought right there, which the people 
in Slab City would have been horrified at ; 
and Fm quite sure that Bostonians would 
find a great many shocking ideas among 
our innocent inhabitants. That must al- 
wa3^s be the trouble in changing from one 
place to another, and I don’t suppose there 
is any help for it. It makes me quite dis- 
couraged with life sometimes, to think how 
many dreadful, dreadful mistakes I must 
have made quite unconsciously. 


130 


MY STSTER KITTY. 


I don’t think Mr. Harding thinks much 
about such things, — he has such a natural, 
simple way with him. Mother didn’t help 
me out any ; so when he said that it would 
be too bad to make him take this long 
sleigh-ride all alone, I relented, and said I 
would go, — he had been so kind. He 
looked so pleased when I said ^^yes,” that I 
had a kind of guilty feeling, though I didn’t 
suppose that he really cared, — Kitty is so 
foolish ! She came in with Herbert soon 
after Mr. Harding had gone, and I told 
them. 

"Them that’s rich can ride in chaises,” 
said Kitty, whirling round upon one foot, 
and laughing. " Herbert and I are going 
in the horse-cars.” 

" I have half a mind not to go with her at 
all, Hope, because she will not let me get a 
carriage ; but I can’t do anything with her ; 
' she will, and she won’t,’ and all I can do 
is to submit,” said Herbert, half petulantly, 
half admiringly. 

"Kitty is quite right, Herbert; we cer- 


Mr S/STEI^ KITTY. 


131 

tainly should not feel at liberty to accept 
your constant offers of escort under any 
other conditions. You know us, and we 
you, and we do not mind the walking any 
more than you ; and to us all the expense 
would be inconvenient, so what’s the use of 
making believe? ” 

I suppose you’re right,” said Herbert, 
mournfully. "Well, then, we’ll follow our 
sister’s carriage there this evening, most 
humbly. Good-by till then.” 

Oh, how I wished that Mr. Harding had 
asked me to walk. If he were poor, I 
really think I could admire him ; as it is 
I rather hate him, because he can drive and 
take me so comfortably. We women are 
very hard to please, sometimes. 

I was so glad that Herbert and Kitty got 
off before he came. At first, I dreaded the 
ride very much, and resolved that I would 
be very cool and indifferent all the way ; 
but when he came it seemed to me he 
looked sad and abstracted, as if something 
oppressed him, and he was so silent after we 


132 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


started that I forgot my resolution, in trying 
to brighten him up a little. I think that I 
succeeded, for when we arrived he said that 
he had enjoyed the drive so much, and only 
wished that we could keep on, instead of 
going into that tiresome crowd. I rather 
wished so, too, if only Kitty and Herbert 
had been with us, but I did not think it 
would be the thing to sa)^' so. 

After we went down-stairs I resolved to 
make a great effort to be agreeable, and to 
go about as much as possible with other 
people, and, to my surprise, I succeeded so 
well, that I hardly had an opportunity to 
speak to Mr. Harding or Herbert all the 
evening. Herbert whispered to Kitty that 
he supposed I was too grand to have any- 
thing to do with them now, and, of course, 
arranged that I should overhear him. I 
was beginning to look around for Kitty to 
ask her if we had not better think of going, 
when Mr. Harding came up and begged me 
to walk through the conservatory with him, 
as there was a most beautiful display of 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


133 


flowers. I did not care much for flowers, 
or indeed, anything, but I could not re- 
fuse, and the air was so delicious, and 
everything so fresh and beautiful, that it 
seemed to lift the burden from my heart 
a little. I was saying that it had always 
been a great desire of mine to have a little 
room of flowers, when he turned suddenly 
round, and said, — 

” But there are some who would be happy 
with much less than that. All that I would 
ask, Miss Hope, would be the little white 
rose in your hair.” 

I stopped, breathless and amazed. So it 
had come, after all, but I could not, dared 
not, think of it here in the midst of so 
many ; so I only laughed, and said, — 

” How cruel, Mr. Harding, to wish to 
take away the only ornament which I wear 
this evening.” 

''You do not need it,” he replied, quietly, 
" and it would be so much to me ; ” and just 
then Mrs. Clay came to find me, to say that 
Kitty and Herbert had been looking every- 


134 


Mr S/STB/^ KITTT, 


where for me, and had just gone, as they 
were obliged to catch the last car. 

I felt as if I were abandoned to my fate, 
and turned imploringly to Mr. Harding, 
saying, " Let us go, too ; ” so we hastened to 
bid our adieux. 

Oh, if I could have gone home with Her- 
bert and Kitty! What should I do? If I 
had only been more careful ! I trembled so 
that I could hardly step into the sleigh. I 
knew that the door was shut, and that we 
were whirled away over the creaking snow 
into the darkness, but all was a blank until 
I heard his voice saying that he had loved 
me ever since he met me that day in the 
cars, and a great, great deal more. I could 
do nothing but cry as if my heart would 
break, but as soon as I could speak I begged 
him to stop, for that much as I had enjoyed 
being with him, I could never, never love 
him as he wished, and it was terrible to lose 
as a friend one whom we all had thought so 
much of. 

He was silent for a moment, and then 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


135 


said, brokenly, "Will you not give me a 
hope for the future? I know that I have 
been too sudden.” 

I said, " No, Mr. Harding ; it is only 
right to tell you that which I have never 
breathed to any one, hardly to myself; but 
now, when you offer me your love, it is 
made so plain to me that there is another 
love which has grown to be a part of my 
being, and which makes all other seem 
poor in comparison.” 

He took my hand, and kissed it, and 
said, " Heaven give him all the happiness 
which I hoped would be mine, and to you a 
thousand times more.” 

"No,” I said; "Mr. Harding, happiness 
is not for me, save that which comes from 
the renunciation of it. There are reasons 
why I could not marry the one I love. I 
do not indeed know that he cares for me ; 
but that will make no difference.” 

He leaned back in the carriage and 
sighed deeply, and for a long time we 
drove through the streets in silence; but as 


136 


Mr SISTER KlTTr. 


we neared home it came over me that per- 
haps he might never want to see us again. 
How kind he had been ! And this was all 
the return I could make ; so I asked him to 
forgive me, and told him how sorry I was 
that I had not been wiser, like Kitty that I 
might have prevented it all. But he smiled 
a little, and said that he would not have had 
anything different ; that there would always 
be more pleasure than pain in his remem- 
brance of our intercourse, and if I really 
wanted to do something for him, would I 
try to forget what had passed, and let him 
be my friend, as he had been before? He 
was going to Europe in a few days, — he 
has decided to go very suddenly, — and 
when he came back I should be gone. 
Then my father and mother had invited 
him and his mother to make us a visit some 
time, he had become attached to them ; it 
would be so pleasant if we could meet on 
the same footing. And I told him that I 
could not bear that my dear father and 
mother, who thought so much of him. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


137 


should know that he cared for me, or even 
Kitty, so we agreed that everything should 
go on as it had before ; and he said a few 
little things which I shall always remember, 
they were so kind and noble. Ah, how un- 
worthy I felt of the love and friendship of 
such a man. I did not know him before; I 
had looked too much at the outward form. 

Kitty came in, overflowing with life and 
spirits. "What, Hope, in bed already? 
You aren’t sleepy, are you? I must turn 
the gas up, and take a look at myself. 
Didn’t I look better than usual to-night? I 
thought people looked as if I did, not to 
mention Herbert, who remarked that m}^ 
wreath was touching ! We did have such 
a nice time coming home. How did you 
get on in your grandeur? He didn’t pro- 
pose, did he?” 

" Kitty ! ” 

"Well, Hope, they do it suddenly, some- 
times ; I’m sure, I don’t see why he shouldn’t. 
House all ready ; ma, too. What did he 
say ? Did you flirt any ? ” 


138 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


” He said he was going to Europe Satur- 
day, — a sudden decision ; he should tr}^ to 
find time to come in and say good-by.” 

"Well, if that isn’t too much; the old^ 
settled-down thmgt Now there won’t be 
any more fun with you ! Why didn’t you 
weep a little, Hope, when he told you? A 
tear or two might have brought him round. 
Didn’t he ask you to write? Oh, what fun 
to correspond with a lover in Europe ! what 
artless letters one might wTite, referring in- 
directly to mosaics, camel’ s-hairs, &c. ; and 
then the coming home ; the bliss of reunion 
after such a separation ; the unpacking of 
trunks, &c., &c. Oh, Hope, if I only 
stood in your shoes; ’’and Kitty, pretty and 
glowing, sat down on the edge of the bed 
to unbraid her hair, having deposited her 
frills and furbelows carefully over the back 
of the sofa. 

" Hope, do you realize that our visit here 
is nearly over? And I do so hate to go 
home. Oh, how nice it is to dress, and 
dance, and go with people you like, and 


Mr SISTBJ^ KITTY, 


139 


see pretty things, and live just as you feel 
that you were born to. I do love home, 
and some day I shall long for it, but not 
quite yet. I have been hungry for this too 
long, and haven’t got half filled yet.” 

" I know it, Kitty. It seems a pity you 
should go. I’ve been going to tell you that 
you must accept Mrs. Clay’s invitation, and 
let us go without you. You needn’t mind 
my going; I really don’t want to stay. 
I’ve had enough, and I am one of the 
homesick kind ; I shall be so glad to go, 
and you can write us of all your doings, 
and it will be as good as if we were here, 
and better. I’m sure I had rather read 
about things than be in them.” 

"Would you, really? Well, perhaps, it’s 
different for you, now your beau is going 
away.” 

Kitty had put out the gas by this time, 
and crept into bed ; her soft arms were 
round me, her head on my shoulder. Oh, 
if I might have cried just a little ; I had 
never kept any secrets from my sister, but 


140 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


if I told her now, she might ask me ques- 
tions, and these I could not bear. 

I kissed her, softly, and told her, laugh- 
ing, — for I must either laugh or cry, — 
that she was my only beau ; that I should 
stay an old maid, that I might live with her. 

Then you do not care for Mr. Harding’s 
going away. I fancied, dear, you looked a 
little troubled, and I knew” — here Kitty 
gave me a convulsive clasp, and buried her 
face in my bosom. 

"Knew what, darling?” 

It was a moment before the whispered 
words came, " Knew — what — I should feel 
if it were Herbert that was going.” 

My darling, darling sister, so it was in- 
deed true. We lay very quiet for a long 
time. At last Kitty raised her head. 

"Hope, I don’t know what to think of 
myself for saying this, for Herbert has never 
breathed a word — and it does not seem 
possible that he could love me as well as 
you, who are so sweet, so good, so much 
more worthv. If men were not given to 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


I4I 

being so foolish about such things, I should 
never dream of it. I always used to think 
of him as my brother ; but, since we have 
been here, he and I seem, quite uncon- 
sciously, to have paired off. I don’t know 
why, but it all comes so naturally.” 

What could I do but fold her closer in 
my arms, and kiss her again and again? 
Words would have been worse than useless. 
It was not long before her regular breathing 
told me that she had fallen asleep. I held 
her in my arms all night; it seemed, some- 
how, as if she had slipped away from me. 
Oh, how happy we had been together in the 
old home, the old life; and now how un- 
certain and troubled it all looked in the 
future. There. was only One who knew how 
it all would end ; to Him I prayed for a safe 
deliverance from all our trials, and if there 
could be love and happiness for but one, 
that it might be for Kitty ; I could get along 
better than she without it. 

A week later, and our rooms were dis- 
mantled. Mother and I were going home ; 


142 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


Kitty was to visit Mrs. Clay, and father 
would remain but a few weeks longer. 
Mrs. Harding came in, the evening before 
we left, and promised us a visit in the early 
summer, on the way to some springs which 
had lately been discovered, just beyond us, 
and which promised great relief to her ail- 
ments. Her son had spent an hour with us 
one evening, when he came to say good-by. 
Herbert happened to be in, and one or two 
others, and we were a merrier party than 
usual, which I thought very fortunate. 
Father and mother urged him most cor- 
dially to visit them upon his return, which 
he promised to do. I trusted that it would 
not be very soon. Father and Kitty and 
Herbert escorted us to the train, early as it 
was. I was glad to be off, though it was 
hard to leave father and Kitty, from whom 
I had never been separated before. I felt 
so tired and unable to think ; it was such a 
relief to lean back in the cars, and not say 
anything. As we came out of the city, 
I turned and looked back, remembering 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


143 


how I had come to it, nearly three months 
before, and who it was that had sat by my 
side. How different it all was ; everything 
looked so bleak and cold on this dull March 
morning ; he was far away upon the ocean, 
and I so desolate here. I could not keep 
my tears from falling thick and fast. No 
one saw me. Mother was in front, asleep. 
Oh, how strangely everything had turned 
out. Everything was changed to my sad- 
dened heart. I was weary of the long car- 
ride, and dreaded to meet the people who 
would fill the seats of the old stage, some 
of whom would probably know me, and 
ask if I enjoyed my visit in the city. 

The twilight was deepening as we drew 
near home. The stage ride had been slow 
and tedious, on account of the heavy roads. 
The air had the balmy softness which 
comes sometimes to a March evening, when 
winds are weary, and rest for a while from 
vexing the patient earth. The road had 
left the mountain-tops during the last few 
miles, and on the sheltered sides of the 


S/STBjR kitty. 


144 

hills the trees wore the red brown tint that 
tells of buds swelling with the promise of 
the spring. Out from the dry leaves on the 
roadside peeped the fresh, green arbutus 
leaves. I know just where to go to find 
the fragrant blossoms, a little later. Oh, 
how sweet was the thought of wandering 
once more in the dim pine-woods ; it seemed 
as if every care and sorrow must melt away. 

How can any one be happy, to live in a 
city, away from so many comforters? We 
saw the home light at last, as we drove 
down the wide street. The driver cracked 
his whip gaily as we rounded the corner, and 
the few passers-by turned and looked to see 
where the stage was going to stop. Old 
Ponto pricked up his ears as he sat on the 
doorsteps, and when Tim and Hannah put 
out their heads, he seemed to think that he 
might relax his dignity a little, and came 
down to the gate on a trot, somewhat modi- 
fied by age and steady habits. Dear old 
square-nosed puppy-dog, with the solemn, 
soulful eyes, and the little, old-fashioned 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


14s 

yellow body, set on four crooked legs. I 
didn’t see anything half so lovely in all 
Boston. 

We were fairly carried into the house 
by our devoted assistants, and there was 
the fire burning on the hearth, and Pussy 
on the rug, enjoying it all. Everything 
had such a dear and familiar look. There 
was the little square mirror, with the gilt 
eagle hovering over the top of it ; the 
old silver candlesticks ; and grandpa and 
grandma in their frames, looking down 
upon us ; and the old chintz lounge ; and 
the chairs, no two alike, but each one with 
a history; and the desk where father al- 
ways sat; and the Pembroke table, with the 
solar lamp upon it. Oh, if Kitty had been 
there, it would have been quite perfect, — 
dear, happy Kitty! It seemed strange to 
sit down, just we two ; but, one by one, the 
neighbors dropped in, to give us a shake of 
the hand, and welcome us back again, so 
that our coming should not be lonely. The 
peace and comfort of our little room up 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


146 

stairs were almost too much for me, — 
Kitty’s and my room, that we had been so 
fond and proud of ever since we were little 
girls. Here we had hung up our first pic- 
tures, — two prints from some magazines. 
Old Times in Broadway,” and Coming 
to Get Married,” framed in a plain band of 
varnished wood. 

How pleased we had been when mother 
gave us a high mahogany bedstead, that 
had been a part of her wedding portion. It 
was hung with embroidered muslin cur- 
tains, trimmed with a broad fringe, which 
were looped up at intervals all round with 
rosettes. Now, as I lay down under the 
snowy drapery, it seemed as if I had never 
been away, as if all the past had been but 
a troubled dream, and that Kitty and I 
should wake up together in the morn, and 
go on living the old life, with its quiet 
pleasures, and bright dreams of the future. 
We should go walking down the green lane 
to the brook, talking of the summer-time 
that was coming, and Herbert’s vacation. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


147 


Ah, then I knew by the sharpness of my 
pain that I could dream no more. I put 
my hand out on the pillow, but Kitty was 
not there ; she had left me, and Herbert, 
and that other poor heart, sailing away 
over the sea, and life had begun for me 
alone, alone ! 


CHAPTER IV. 

The spring months passed quickly by 
us. We did not have many idle moments, 
mother and I, there was so much to be 
done. As she said, ''things did have a 
different look, coming fresh from Boston.” 
The parlor carpet was dreadfully worn, 
and we had to turn the breadths every 
which way, to make them respectable. 
The chintz curtains which had formerly 
draped the best bed, were to be made into 
chair-coverings, to cover the gloom of 
hair-cloth, which had become hateful in our 


148 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


eyes since we had lived in a boarding- 
house. Then we decided to cut over our 
long parlor curtains into lambrequins, which 
was quite an undertaking. I was busily at 
work upon them one sultry morning in 
May, while mother was house-cleaning, up 
stairs. I had been thinking, even more 
than usual, of Kitty, from whom we had 
not heard for a week past. She had stayed 
on and on with the Clays, — they would 
not let her go, — and father had returned 
some weeks since, alone. I had begun to 
long so for her. 

Now, as I thought of her, I could not 
stay there sewing. I laid down my work, 
and ran out to the front door. I saw the 
coach stop, down on the green, and the 
driver throw off the mail-bag. Perhaps 
there might be a letter. I took my hat and 
went down. A few moments sufficed to 
sort the scanty mail. There were two let- 
ters for us ; one was from Kitty. I came 
home, and sat down on the doorstep to read 
it. Oh, how well I remember every word. 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


149 


I could repeat it to-day, but not without a 
pang, happy as I am. It was a beautiful 
letter, brimming over with a young girl’s 
great happiness ; Herbert loved her, had 
loved her for a long time, and they were 
coming home in a week or two, that he 
might ask her of us all. 

Why was it that, knowing it all as I had 
done this long time, it came upon me with 
the shock of unexpectedness? Oh, my 
little sister, had Tnot given him up entirely? 

The air seemed very close and faint, the 
glare of the sunshine was intolerable. Oh 
that it were night, that I might lie down 
and rest, away from the curious eyes that 
seemed to fill the air about me. I ran up 
to my room, wondering what I could do 
next, and then I remember kneeling down, 
and laying my head in the old arm-chair, 
and saying, half aloud, ”Oh, God ! Herbert 
engaged, and not to me ! Oh, God help 
me.” I felt somehow as if I must pray, but 
for what? I wanted nothing, cared for 
nothing, dreaded nothing. A strange quiet 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


ISO 

came over me, as if I were in the world, 
yet not of it. Everything seemed hushed 
and far off. If only it could have grown 
dark ! What should I do in all the long, 
day before me? it was so bright. I said it 
over two or three times, it sounded so 
strangely in the stillness of the room : 
" Herbert loves Kitty, and not me ! Oh 
God, oh God, what shall I do all the rest of 
my long life?” 

I do not know how long I sat there on 
the floor, smoothing my own little hands 
one with another. Herbert always said 
that they were the kind that a true knight 
would die to kiss, they were so delicate and 
beautiful, and that they showed good birth 
and breeding. Herbert always cared for 
such things. I never knew that they were 
small or pretty until he told me. Kitty’s 
were even prettier than mine. Ah, well ! 
I wonder, when people are drowning, do 
all these things come to them after the first 
struggle? I could have gone on folding 
and unfolding them forever, and thinking 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


151 

these things, if I had not heard mother’s 
voice, as she descended the garret stairs, 
dropping the broom and dustpan, and talk- 
ing to herself all the way. Then I started 
and ran down stairs ; I could not give her 
the letter yet. I was sewing busily on the 
curtains, when she came in and sank 
breathless on a chair. 

'"Well, the garret is done at last. I think 
that two days more up stairs, and one day 
on the curtains, will put us quite in order 
for the summer. I am glad, for the warm 
weather seems to have come early this sea- 
son ; it is really quite oppressive to-day. 
Have you been sewing all the morning, my 
dear? You must be tired. I will help you 
this afternoon, and we will have them fin- 
ished off. Seems to me you look a little 
pale ; I .cannot have you in the house so 
much. I don’t think you have ever looked 
as well, since you went to Boston. Kitty, 
now, seems to grow fat on it ; and I used to 
like being up nights when I was a girl. 
How your father and I used to dance ! But 


152 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


some can’t do it. It’s fortunate you aren’t 
much tempted here. You and mother must 
settle down together, and let Kitty do the 
running about. I think father and I ought 
to keep one daughter with us ; don’t you 
think so, pa? ” 

Father, who had just come in from the 
yard, stooped over and patted my cheek. 

"We can’t spare either of them, Bessy. 
I mean to begin to be hard on any young 
fellow that comes round. Herbert’s got 
rather the start of me. I shall have to look 
after him pretty close. I wonder why we 
don’t hear from Kitty.” 

How the letter burned in my pocket ! 
Was it really there, or was this but a fearful 
dream, a nightmare, from which I must in 
time awake? 

A week later, and we were all on the 
steps, just before tea, awaiting the arrival 
of the stage, with Herbert and Kitty, and 
his father and mother, who were to spend a 
day or two with us on their way to New 
York. Kitty’s engagement was now an 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


153 

established fact, and everybody was greatly 
excited over it. It was a great while since 
we had had an engagement in high life in 
Slab City. 

I had handed the letter quietly to father 
and mother, as they sat together on the side 
porch in the twilight, and had left them to 
themselves and gone down to the pine knoll. 

It seemed a long time before I saw mother 
coming down the path to me, with her 
apron thrown over her head. Her glasses 
were quite dim with tears, and when she 
saw me she put out her arms, and we both 
wept together. 

'Ht’s so sudden, dear,” was all she could 
say for a time ; you’ve read her letter, and 
pa told me to give you his. A real manly 
letter it is, and one it would be hard to say 
no to, even supposing we didn’t know him 
so well as we do. But I always thought it 
was my Hope that he took to. I suppose 
it’s all right, dear ; you’ve arranged it be- 
tween you, but I didn’t think of Kitty.” 

" Oh, ma, what bright eyes you’ve had 


154 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


all this winter. I’ve seen it ever so long. 
He has been perfectly devoted to Kitty at 
all the parties, and they make such a splen- 
did pair. I am too quiet and prosy for such 
a brilliant man as Herbert is going to be ; 
I shall stay at home with my father and 
mother. Will you keep me, mother, al- 
ways ? ” • 

” My darling ! as if mothers were not 
always too selfishly willing to keep their 
children ; always, dear, until the right one 
comes along. God forbid that mother 
should keep you from what has been her 
happiness in life, her husband and chil- 
dren.” 

Well, as I began to say, we were out on 
the steps when we heard the rattle of the 
wheels in the distance. I thought that the 
old home must look lovely to Kitty and 
Herbert, that night. The apple-trees were 
not yet out of bloom, for our spring had 
been late, and now everything that was 
beautiful and sweet had been poured down 
upon us together. I had gathered the first 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


155 


cinnamon rose that morning, with a bit of 
syringa, from the sunny corner by moth- 
er’s bed-room window. Lilies of the valley 
filled the air with their fragrance, and all 
across the flower-sprinkled grass the shad- 
ows of the elms lay soft and dark ; it was 
only a few weeks since the shadows had 
come with the unfolding of the leaves. 

Of course we had talked of nothing but 
Herbert and Kitty all the week. Mother 
had got as far as furnishing the house for 
them, and had been up in the garret at her 
old black trunk, counting the home-made 
linen sheets that she had laid by for her 
daughters. Curious, kindly neighbors 
came and went, many openly wondering 
that it was Kitty, and not I ; and I heard it, 
and smiled, and talked with them, wonder- 
ing inwardly that I cared nothing for it all. 
Sometimes a word would strike sharp and 
keen in some little uncovered place, but the 
pain was soon over, and I seemed to feel it 
as little as the spiritless clay, lying low, 
heeds the dull rattle of earth upon its coffin- 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


156 

lid, which sends such a pang to the heart 
of the mourner, 

Kitty was at home again ; that was all 
to me. I saw father take her carefully 
from the stage, pushing Herbert aside, with 
the words, " Go to your mother, my boy.” 

Then she came to me, and Herbert, too, 
and of the rest I have but a dim remem- 
brance, until I found myself taking Mrs. 
Clay up into the front chamber. Then I 
looked into ours ; Kitty was there. 

"Are you glad to be at home again, dar- 
ling, in the old house?” 

" Oh, Hope, and with you ! Dear, you 
were the only one not astonished. How 
did they take it? Ah, if you could only be 
as happy as I. That is all I have to ask 
now ; you will be, you must be.” 

" I shall always be happy, dear, if you 
are happy ; but I must leave you, and run 
away to help Hannah a little with the tea. 
Now that we have such grand folks from 
the city, I must work a little 'behind the 
scenes.’ Do you think we look nice? 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


^S7 


Herbert will not be ashamed of our plain 
ways before his stylish father and mother?” 

"Foolish girl ! If he were, I would dis- 
own him. If there is one thing that I’m 
prouder of than my good looks, which you 
know are my fortune and strong point, 
Hope, it is my dear father and mother, and 
sister, and my home, if you’ll excuse my 
putting you all together, and calling you 
one thing. Wait a minute, and let me 
come with you ; you are not to make com- 
pany of me.” 

A country tea is such a pretty meal. Our 
old mahogany table shone like a mirror, 
reflecting the delicate china of our ances- 
tors, the snowy napkins, plates piled high 
with feathery biscuit, and golden butter, 
and snowy mounds of cottage cheese, and 
nut-brown oly-koeks, and ’lection cake, the 
real Hartford kind. It was not time yet, 
up in the country, for berries to ripen, 
though Kitty said she had had them several 
times ; but the golden quinces, from our 
own bushes, preserved in what mother con- 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


158 

sidered the only respectable way, pound for 
pound, were fresh and delicious as the 
daintiest palate could desire. Herbert was 
in his gayest humor, and praised and made 
his mother taste of everything on the table, 
saying that his Kitty was to grow up into 
her mother’s accomplishments, and that 
sometime they were going to have a house 
with everything in it just like this. 

When tea was done, he insisted upon tak- 
ing us all out to the pine-knoll to see the 
sunset, and though mother talked a little 
about '' spring dampness,” from a motherly 
kind of habit that she had, yet she put on 
her shawl, and we all went. Kitty and 
Herbert would naturally stray away a little 
from us, running down to the brook’s edge 
for the tiny blossoms that leaned over to look 
into the water, and for the fragrant white 
violets that nestled in moist places. They 
all went to adorn Kitty. There was a knot 
of them in her bosom, a wreath on her 
shining braids, her hands were full; she 
looked like a May Queen. It was a sweet 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


159 


picture to look down upon, as we sat there 
under the pines. They joined us at last, 
and we all watched silently the sinking of 
the sun behind the hills; then, when the 
glow had died away, we turned our faces 
to the eastern cliffs, still rosy with the last 
rays, and strolled quietly homeward in the 
soft evening air. Around the old well, that 
stood in the west yard, we gathered, for a 
moment. Mrs. Clay had not seen a well- 
sweep since she was a girl, and Herbert 
wanted to draw up a bucket of the spark- 
ling water for her to drink from. As we 
stood there, and it came slowly up, I put 
out my hand to push it over to his side, and 
my little ring — the ring that he found in 
the cake and gave me — shone brightly 
against the dark wood. It caught his eye. 

Ah, Hope, you’ll have to give me back 
my ring, or Kitty will be jealous. It will 
never do for you to be wearing it around, 
with such an air of calm possession.” 

How still my heart stood for a moment. 
It had never occurred to me that any one 


l 6 o my sister kitty. 

would want that, would think of it at all, — 
the one little link of the past that was left to 
me. It was all that I could do to swallow 
down the throbs in my throat that would 
rise and choke me. I do not know what I 
should have said, but Kitty spoke out of the 
wealth of her happiness, — 

" Hope shall keep her ring if she wants 
it, and I think that I would even give her 
you, too, if she asked me. Do not plume 
yourself upon my jealousy? ” with a look of 
merry defiance. 

But Kitty’s eyes rested upon the ring, 
and there was a tone in her voice that said, 
" but she does not, she cannot want it as I 
do, to whom everything connected with you 
is so precious.” During the two or three 
minutes that they were drinking, my thoughts 
were in a tumult. 

" Kitty, he has given you one ring, he will 
give you another ; you would not care greatly 
for this, you have so much. If you did not 
see it, you would soon forget it, but I never 
shall, I never can ! I should go wild to see 


MT SISTER KITTT, i6i 

it upon your finger, — worn, in your joy, be- 
fore my very eyes. I will give you every- 
thing, everything else, — love, life — for 
love is life ; but may I not keep just this, 
only this, — no, not keep it myself, but put 
it away out of sight, where no one shall 
have it? ” I could not keep my restless fin- 
gers from turning it round and round, as I 
thought. It had grown quite large for me, 
lately ; suddenly, it slipped oft', and down 
over the mossy stones into the well. They 
saw it fall. 

'"O Herbert!” cried Kitty, '^it is gone I 
What were you doing with it, Hope ? But 
don’t look so pale and frightened, and I’ll 
forgive you for losing it, and you shall have 
another, sometime, from us both.” 

We all leaned over the edge and tried to 
look down through the still water, but it 
was too deep; we turned away, and went 
round through the garden to the house. 

Everything was so sweet and quiet in the 
evening twilight. The whippoorwill’s plain- 
tive cry stole up from the distance, a wake- 


i 62 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


ful robin twittered from his nest; — Kitty 
was the happy, sheltered robin, and I the 
wandering whippoorwill. But, oh, that 
trouble should make me so selfish ; that 
ever I could have denied anything to my 
sister ! 

Herbert’s father and mother spent but a 
day or two with us, and he himself could 
remain only a week. We spent that time in 
a round of pleasure, — drives, picnics, and 
tea-drinkings. Oh, how happy Kitty was ! 
I thanked God every day for it. I did not 
pray that I might be ; I did not want to be. 
It grew to be a strange thing to me that 
ever I should have thought of happiness in 
connection with myself. 

A kind of calm crept over my spirit, like 
the hush that comes after a heavy shower, 
— an utter stillness, — when Nature seems 
to pause, when drops have ceased to fall, 
and leaves hang motionless, and the air is 
thick and faint, and there is no sun, no life 
in anything; and the poor weary thing that 
used to beat so gladly in my breast, with all 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


163 


its vain hopes and longings, crept away, 
and wrapped itself in that deathlike peace, 
— as in a garment, — and was not disturbed 
by any outward thing. 

After Herbert’s departure, our excursions 
came to an end, and the whole household 
wakened to a new and busy life. We lived 
in Kitty, and in Kitty’s things.” Great 
boxes came from Boston, and yards and 
yards of material were torn up, and inter- 
ested neighbors came .and went with pat- 
terns and books of styles, and girl-friends 
passed the afternoons, and busied their nim- 
ble fingers with hems of dainty ruffling, and 
the latest clover-leaf in tatting. Later still. 
Miss Tabitha Treadwell, the head of the 
fashionable world in Bloomingdale, came 
to spend several days and superintend the 
dresses, while our own Miss Betsy, who 
had cut everything for us since we wore 
pantalettes, withdrew a little into the shade, 
and acted as second, as she frankly con- 
fessed, that "'when it come to cuttin’ clothes 
to go to furrin’ parts, she hadn’t the courage 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


164 

to use her shears.” For it was all settled. 
Herbert was to graduate in June, and they 
\vere to be married in September, and go 
immediately abroad ” to spend a year, at 
least. 

To think of our Kitty going abroad ! It 
seemed wonderful ! No one had ever been 
from our part of the country excepting a 
missionary to the Sandwich Islands, long 
ago, when grandma was young. We teased 
her to tell us about it, and all of us got to 
crying when it came to her leaving her 
friends and country, but then, as grandma 
said, she was going among heathens and 
savages, with every prospect of being eaten 
alive, whereas Kitty would see kings and 
queens, and visit palaces, in company with 
rich people from Boston and New York, 
which made it quite a different thing. The 
ocean was very wide, though, and so terri- 
ble ; what should we do, with Kitty on the 
farther side? Would Herbert make up to 
her for the loss of us all, and home? 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


165 


CHAPTER V. 

It was towards the last of June that Mrs. 
Harding wrote that she would like to make 
us the promised visit. She said that she 
anticipated with pleasure meeting us all 
again, and she also wished to visit a new 
spring which had been lately discovered in 
our neighborhood, and which was said to 
be wonderful for rheumatism. A large hotel 
had been built there, which had drawn 
many guests th^ previous summer. 

How I dreaded her visit. Kitty said "she 
was coming to see how I would do I ” OtT, 
dear, if Kitty only knew ! I told her that 
if she loved me, she must adopt Mrs. Hard- 
ing, and take her about everywhere, and 
this, she, laughing, promised to do, " as her 
behavior made no difference in her pros- 
pects.” The first day after her arrival we 
spent in great trepidation, lest things should 


i66 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


not go on well, but after that, we did not 
mind. Some people are very different out 
of their own houses, when they have not 
the mental and moral support of fine sur- 
roundings. It is astonishing what an effect 
large rooms and lofty ceilings and mirrors 
and soft carpets have upon one’s feelings 
and general style. As Kitty saj^s, it is quite 
impossible to put on a regal air, and sail 
round much in our rooms. In the first 
place, the floors are not quite level, the 
house is so old ; your foot strikes before you 
expect it. And then, it is almost impossible 
to get the hay even under the carpet, and, 
too, one somehow feels rather sensible and 
settled down, in the presence of curtains 
and furniture, with such an experience of 
life written upon their worn and faded sur- 
faces. 

Mrs. Harding seemed like a new person. 
I was conscious that nothing escaped her 
eyes ; but her manner was so kindly, and 
she seemed so much interested in all our 
little plans that, in the course of a week. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


167 


she became quite one of us. Kitty had ex- 
hibited all the trousseaic^ and we had dis- 
cussed with her all the plans for the wed- 
ding, receiving a great many valuable hints 
in return. She was never weary of going 
down to the pine-knoll to sit, and we would 
all take our sewing and spend a long sum- 
mer’s morning there, listening to the bab- 
ble of the brook which ran below, and the 
soft murmur of the wind in the trees. 

Sometimes, when we two were alone, — 
which she seemed to like best, — she would, 
after sitting silent for a time, tell me little 
things about her early life, and marriage, 
and troubles, and I learned that she, whom 
I thought so cold, had loved as fondly, had 
been as innocent and gay, as any girl of us 
all. How strange it seemed, that care and 
trouble and wrecked ambition, and the every- 
day dust of life’s long journey should cover 
so completely, in time, such a nature as 
hers had been. To think that it might hap- 
pen to Kitty or me ! 

”You think me a garrulous old woman. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


1 68 

Hope,” said she ; see every day, in your 
eyes, surprise that I am what I am, but 
also I see the warm sympathy that leads me 
to confide in you. If only I had had a 
daughter, or sister, how different it all 
would have been. You cannot tell how 
your life here has brought back the olden 
time to me, — my young days, when I lived 
with my father and mother, in the country, 
an only child. I feel, sometimes, as if it 
might all come back to me, if I stayed here 
in the midst of everything that is so beauti- 
ful in nature, and among hearts that are so 
kind and true.” 

Mrs. Harding was delighted with the 
house at the Springs, and it was decided 
that she should return to Boston, and pre- 
pare for a three months’ stay. She begged 
me to accompany her there, saying that she 
dreaded the journey, and the staying alone 
at her house, and that I did not look well, 
and needed the change. So it was decided 
that I should go, especially as it was a good 
opportunity to do a little shopping for Kitty. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


169 

This time the birds were singing sweetly, 
and the merry sun looked at us over the 
hill-tops, as we started upon our journey; 
but, oh, the difference ! Now, there was 
nothing to look forward to any more but a 
dull round of daily life, and the bearing, as 
best I could, the eating pain, that seemed, 
little by little, to wear away all the life that 
was in me. 

The week of my stay with Mrs. Harding 
slipped quickly away. In many respects 
the change was a great relief. The daily 
life was such a contrast to everything that I 
had known, that the old habits of thought 
and action seemed to belong to some remote 
time. But in their place came the troubled 
face of my friend. I walked up and down 
the rooms where he had passed so much of 
his life, ate at his table, and feasted my 
longing eyes on the pictures that he had 
selected with so much care. Everything 
spoke to me of him. His mother talked, as 
mothers will, of all that John did and said, 
dwelling upon it with a tender pride. She 


170 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 


even took me into his room, and showed me 
all his little things, the chair where he sat, 
the books he read, while I followed on with 
a most guilty feeling. If I had never seen 
him I should have felt interested in one of 
whom I heard so many kind and pleasant 
things, and oh, to feel that I had been the 
means of giving him all the pain which 
another had given me, — no, rather which 
I had taken upon myself. Ah, no ! sufter 
as he might, he could never feel the misery 
that I felt ! It seems to be thought such a 
terrible thing for a woman to love a man, 
unasked, even though she whisper it only to 
her own heart. 

There is a queer old maid at home, 
who lives in a little, mossy, brown house, 
all by herself. You see her very sel- 
dom. She flits about her door-yard in the 
spring, trimming her rosebushes. Once, 
when I peeped in through the fence, she 
gave me a bud. She did not know how 
often in the years to come, I should think 
of her. I carried it home to grandma, and 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


171 

asked her why she lived there by herself. 
Grandma pursed up her lips : '' Because 

she got a cross in love, child. She took 
a desprit fancy to some young sprig who 
boarded to her pa’s ; — her pa kept the tav- 
ern then. She was a pretty girl, with red 
cheeks and snappin’ black eyes, and he 
hung round her, kinder soft like, and she 
thought he was sure to marry her, and the 
ground wan’t good enough for her to step 
on. Wall, she went off for a little while to 
look after somebody who was sick, and 
afore she come back, he w^as gone, and not 
a word did she hear from, or about him, — 
for news didn’t travel much in those days, 
and folks was all took up with the war, — 
till one day the stage came in, an’ down he 
gets from it, handing a young thing, all 
smiles and blushes, that he said was his 
wife. Love stood there ! Love Root was 
her name ; and they said an icicle couldn’t 
ha’ been any colder and stiller. She went 
in, and sat at the foot of the table, — for the 
dinner was just cornin’ in for the passen- 


172 


MT SIStER KITTT, 


gers, — and helped to all the things, just 
the same as usual, and, after dinner, they 
went on. But no one ever see’d a bit of 
color in her cheeks since, and she never 
talked and fooled round, — with a word for 
all the young folks, — as she used to. Many 
a man ’ud ha’ given his eyes to get her, and 
the neighbors talked till they was tired, but 
she just lived on with her pa till he died, 
and then come and took that little house, 
and got her old bed-rid aunt to live with 
her ; . she didn’t have much trouble to do 
that, — nobody else wanted to take care of 
her. Many’s the time I’ve told her she was 
flyin’ in the face o’ Providence ; she as 
might ha’ done so well. It was right sinful 
to keep one’s heart fixed on some one who 
didn’t care a pin for her, — and was some- 
body else’s husband into the bargain, — and 
spend all her strength on an old woman 
who might be right comfortable at the town- 
farm.” 

" And what did she say, grandma? ” 

" Why, she just looked at me with those 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


173 


great black eyes, and says, 'But the one I 
married would grow old, Mrs. Reynolds, 
and I shouldn’t care for him until he did. 
I love old people ; I dread young ones, — 
they are so happy, and hard, and prosper- 
ous ; unless it is the little children, — they 
are like old people, — life is too great for 
them.’ ” 

It all came back to me so, as I saw 
her falter up the aisle on Sunday, in the old 
sprigged-muslin, and worked shawl, and 
skimpy bonnet. I had always looked upon 
her as so far removed from any of us. How 
near she seemed, now. I longed to take 
that thin hand, wRich I had so often watched, 
in its black-lace mitt, lying on the hymn- 
book, — to kiss and warm the poor pale 
thing into life once more. Were she and I 
the only ones, of all around us, who had 
felt the same trouble? What would grand- 
ma say, if she knew? Must I grow old, 
and withered, and desolate, and live by 
myself? 

It was always different in books. Those 


174 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


whose sorrows I had wept over so many 
times, — Lady Harriet Byron, and poor 
Amanda Fitzalan, — were happy at last. 
Those whom they loved were never mar- 
ried to any one else. Was it never so in 
real life? Ah, if Miss Love and I could 
only be happy ; and Mr. Harding, too ! I 
think the only comfort I have is that men 
are so much wiser about their hearts than 
women ; and he has lived so much longer 
than I, — for he must be as much as thirty- 
five, — and has seen a great deal of the 
world, it does not seem as if he could have 
been so foolish as to venture all his hopes 
on my loving him. Mrs. Harding, I know, 
would never dream of such a thing, and, 
after he has been with her a little while, he 
will not. She is so kind that I am almost 
fond of her, though I had just as lief not be. 
As Kitty says, "one doesn’t feel at liberty 
to encourage any feelings toward the 7iioth- 
crs of soils'' One day she asked me to go 
with her and buy a wedding-present for a 
friend, and we went into the most beautiful 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


175 


shops that I ever had seen. She made me 
advise her a great deal, saying that she did 
not know what young people liked. At 
last we decided upon a cake-basket, which 
was very handsome, and cost a great deal. 
I only wished that Kitty could have one 
like it for her house. Then we looked 
about for my gift for her, and found the 
most beautiful little engraving, at a place 
where Mrs. Harding said she could get 
things at cost. This enabled me to make 
my little sum go a great ways. I did not 
like to ask father for any more, for we had 
spent so much during the winter, that it 
quite frightened- me to think of it, yet I did 
so want a pretty picture, that Kitty could 
hang in the room, and look at every day. 
When we were at home together, in the 
quiet afternoon, she took me up-stairs into 
her room, and asked me if I did not want 
to help her to look over her drawers. It 
was only too much pleasure for me, both 
because I wanted to do something for her, 
and because it was interesting to look into 


176 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


the stores of some one who had such lovely 
things lying about, as if they were of no 
worth. She laid a little, half-worn lace collar 
on my hand, saying that perhaps it would 
come in fashion again, if I cared to keep it, 
and when I told her that I did not care 
whether it did or not, — that I should al- 
ways love to have it, because it had been 
hers, — she seemed quite touched, and did 
not say any more for some minutes. Then 
she took out some very valuable things, and 
told me all about them, and who gave them 
to her. Among them were some of her 
wedding-gifts, and, carefully treasured, the 
trifles that "John ” had given her upon her 
birthdays, from the time when he was a little 
bit of a boy. A thoughtful, loving little 
fellow he must have been. I should have 
cared more for these than for all the rest, if 
I had been his mother. She seemed pleased 
when I told her so, but said that most peo- 
ple would call us two foolish women. All 
the things together filled a large trunk ; 
she put them in, and locked it, and leaned 


Mr SISTER KITTY, 


177 

wearily back in her chair for a moment, 
then said, — 

''Hope, shall you remember any of these 
things that I have told you ? ” 

I knew that I should remember ; I al- 
ways had a wonderful memory for such 
things. I can tell the history of every old 
spoon, and china cup, and chair, and book- 
case, that ever came down to us, and of all 
the satin pelisses, and worked frills that be- 
longed to my grandmother’s five sisters. 
They are all quite distinct in my mind, — 
the poor thing who died so young, and the 
one whose lover was killed by the Indians, 
and the beautiful one who eloped, and the 
others who lived and died so quietly upon 
the hill-tops, — and I often think that I 
shall know them all as soon as I get to 
heaven, and perhaps they will be glad that 
I have cared for their poor little belongings, 
because they once delighted in them. 

Mrs. Harding seemed satisfied when I 
told her this, and said : " Hope, if anything 
should happen to me, John will marry ; that 


178 


Mr SISTBI^ KITTT. 


is, I think he would, though he has never 
seemed to care for any one yet. If you 
should outlive me, and he should do this, 
I should like his wife, Hope, to have these 
things. She will be nearer to me than any 
one else, because she loves my son, and 
perhaps she will think kindly of me because 
I am his mother. I should like her to know 
about these, — will you tell her? I will put 
it in my will that you are to do so.” 

What could I do but promise? Some- 
how it took all the heart out of me, being 
with this lonely woman. I was so lonely 
myself, and he was lonely, I was sure. 
Would he ever marry? 

I did want to be a comfort to this poor 
mother, but I didn’t quite know how. No- 
body, I knew, could comfort me ; so I only 
took her hand in mine, and we sat quietly 
till the gas was lighted. 

When the time came for me to go, she 
came into my room with a large box, asking 
me if I would put it in my trunk, and not 
open it until I reached home ; and if Kitty 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


179 


and I would accept the few trifles which it 
contained, some of which had been hers, 
which she never should need again ; adding, 
half apologedcally, that as she had no 
daughters, she should consider Kitty and 
me in that light, and mothers always gave 
their little ornaments to their daughters, as 
they laid them by. 

Kitty and I opened the box eagerly, for 
we had never had many gifts that came 
from the cit}^ and there inside was the 
cake-basket, a wedding-gift, with her card, 
and several yards of beautiful lace, which 
she told me had been sent her from Europe, 
marked, ” To trim the wedding-dress.” 
Mother had a handsome dress-cap, and the 
little inside box which bore my name con- 
tained almost everything that I had admired 
and wanted, — a beautiful, old-fashioned 
necklace, a richly carved Chinese fan, a 
little lace cape, and some gloves and flowers 
for me to wear as bridesmaid. Oh, to think 
that I could do so little for her in return. 
How kind, how good she had been to me. 


l8o SISTER KITTT. 

I wonder if it could be that she knew about 
her son, and was grateful to me for not 
taking him from her. 

When, a week later, she left our house to 
go to her new rooms at the Springs, she 
petitioned to have mother with her there for 
the first few days, saying that she should be 
lonely at first. We were so pleased to have 
mother go, it was all so new to her. Mrs. 
Harding looked quite surprised when I said 
that none of us had ever, I thought, stayed 
at a hotel. I suppose that people who live 
out in the world, and travel, do it a great 
deal. I didn’t tell Kitty that I said so, for 
I knew she would tell me that I had made 
another faux a French expression 

which she picked up in Boston, which 
seems to mean everything improper and 
dreadful. It never occurred to me that it 
was a surprising fact, until I saw it in Mrs. 
Harding’s face. 

The week after, she sent for Kitty, and 
then for me, saying that it was a good 
change for us. I knew why she did it, and 


Mr SISTER KITTT. jgi 

felt very grateful to her for giving us this 
chance of .seeing how people did things, 
but I think it would have killed Kitt}^ if she 
had guessed it ; I was particularly glad on 
her account, for I thought that it would 
make it easier for her when she went trav- 
elling with Herbert. I knew just how she 
would refer to it, in talking, in that elegant 
way of hers, ''when I was at the Springs,” 
as if they were only one of a thousand dif- 
ferent places that she had visited. 

Herbert came up once or twice to spend 
the Sabbath at home with us, but it was a 
long journey, and he was busy preparing 
for his graduation in July. Kitt}^ went 
down to hear him deliver his oration, for of 
course Herbert had an oration, — he always 
said he should. I begged off from going 
with her, although his father and mother 
very kindly sent me an invitation, to which 
he added his entreaties. I could not go, 
even though Kitty was so grieved about it, 
and it went to my heart to deny her any- 
thing. 


i 82 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


From the time of her return until the 
wedding-day seemed but a step, the pre- 
cious moments slipped by so quickly. 

Our guests came. the day before. Our 
house was full, with grandma, and an uncle 
and aunt from the West, and Mr. and Mrs. 
Clay. The neighbors kindly entertained 
others, friends of Herbert, and the grooms- 
nien, — Gray, who was to stand with me, 
and Fred Austin with Kate Field. Kitty 
begged to dress me that last afternoon be- 
fore, because she wanted me to look just as 
she pleased. I have sometimes thought 
since that she had another reason. She 
would make me put on a blue muslin with 
white polka dots, although it was rather 
late in the season. In vain I pleaded that 
it was not as new-fashioned as some of my 
others. She replied that it looked more 
like me, and begged to know when I began 
to be so particular about the styles. Then 
she took down my curls, and rearranged 
each one separately, till my head was 
heavy with pins. 


MT SISTER KITTT, 183 

My ruffles would not do ; I must wear 
one of her new ones. And as for my jew- 
elry, it was not the thing at all ; she would 
bring me some from Europe that was just 
suited to me, and to-day I must wear 
flowers, — there were some roses that would 
be too full-blown for to-morrow. After 
putting me in a chair, she walked round 
me and took a survey, and then she made 
me stand up and look at myself from dif- 
ferent points of view, '"that I might gratify 
my taste for the beautiful.” Finally, hearing 
Herbert come in through the garden gate, 
she released me, and I left her at the foot 
of the stairs, to join her lover, and stole 
away to the front gate, over which I loved 
to lean, with my head upon my arm, look- 
ing down the broad street. The border of 
grass between us and the road was wide 
and green, the passers-by few, and the lofty 
elms hung their trailing branches over the 
pathway, almost shutting us in from the 
outside world. 

I was far away in a dream of the far-off 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


184 

land where Kitty was going, when I was 
roused by the stamp of a horse’s foot, and, 
looking up, saw some one helping Mrs. 
Harding out of her phaeton. I hastened to 
unfasten the gate and meet her, but she put 
me off with a hasty kiss, and turned to the 
one following her, whom I had not thought 
to notice, saying, ”I have brought some 
one else for you to welcome to your hospi- 
table home ; here is John, just in time for 
the wedding.” 

Yes, here was John; of that fact I was 
painfully aware — indeed, all others seemed 
to have slipped from my mind. I felt the 
warm pressure of his hand, as he inquired 
about us all, but it was some minutes before 
I could nerve myself to look up into his 
face — that pleasant, manly face. I think 
that he noticed my agitation, for he talked 
on more easily than usual, without waiting 
for me, spoke of our beautiful trees, and of 
the interest with which he looked for the 
house of which he had heard so much 
while driving down the street in the stage 
the evening before. 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


185 


Father and mother were delighted at the 
unexpected arrival, and even Kitty conde- 
scended to bestow a great many smiles and 
pleasant words upon him. Of course they 
must stay to tea, and spend the evening ; 
there was such a lovely moon to light them 
home, and the air was as soft as June. 
Father had a great deal to ask about for- 
eign parts,” and the way in which they did 
things there, and told Mr. Harding that he 
must come and stay a month with us, that 
he might tell us of all the wonderful things 
that he had seen. I was very glad that he 
could give Kitty some practical directions 
about travelling, and the things she would 
need. He very kindly thought of us all 
while he was away, and brought Kitt}^ a 
beautiful wedding-gift of a set of jewelry, — 
the first she had ever had, — bought for 
herself. To father and mother he brought 
a very pretty clock, and for me a simple 
photograph. I was very glad that it was 
such a small thing, and that it was nothing 
I need wear. I presume he thought of 


i86 


Mr SISTER KITTr 


that, but mother was astonished that the 
handsomest thing was not for me. 

After tea, our friends came strolling over 
to see us, and we all walked down to the 
pine grove. It had been a clear, mild, 
September day. The sloping hill was gay 
with huckleberry bushes, first to catch the 
autumn fires, with golden-rod, and with 
asters, blue and white. 

The dear old flowers, they were begin- 
ning to pale a little, the sweet-fern leaves 
were brown, and curled a little at the edges, 
for we had had one slight frost ; they rattled 
down as our dresses swept over them, and 
gave out a faint perfume. We all sat down 
on the dry pine-needles on the brow of the 
hill, and watched the sunset-glow very qui- 
etly. The hearts of some of us were too 
full for words. Kate entertained the gen- 
tlemen of the party, sending them on little 
trips down the bank for this and that flower 
and leaf, and adorned their buttonholes 
with them, advising them meantime what 
they should gather and bring to her next 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


187 

morning, to adorn the house with, as she 
intended to make them useful. It is won- 
derful what some women can do with men. 
I was so thankful that she was there, and 
that father and mother had their minds so 
fully occupied. I think we could only have 
held each other’s hands in blank despair, 
had we been alone together that last even- 
ing with Kitty. 

It helped us, too, to be out under the 
calm, bright heavens, with the quiet, whis- 
pering trees. The crickets were chirping 
faintly in the grass ; the ripple of the brook, 
as it rounded a rock in the current, came 
up soft, yet clear; the dim, sweet twilight 
brought a sense of peace and rest, even to 
our troubled hearts. Mother came up that 
night, as she had not done for several 
years, since her rheumatism had troubled 
her so, and tucked us up in bed as carefully 
as if it had been a winter’s night. I knew 
how full her heart was, but she only said. 
Don’t talk, children ; it will be a busy day 
to-morrow, and you’ll need all the rest you 


i88 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


can get.” Then she kissed us, and blew 
out the candle. The moonlight streamed 
in brightly over our bed. Kitt}! always 
wanted to have the curtains left up, so that 
she could see the moon. 

Our last night together ! How my heart 
stood still when I thought of it. Kitty held 
up her face for a kiss, and then we put our 
arms round each other, and cried a little, 
very softly, and I said, "Kitty, your e3^es 
will be red to-morrow, and we won’t cry any 
more;” so she tried to smile a little, and 
laid her head on my shoulder, and in a few 
moments was asleep. But oh, the hours 
were too precious for me to sleep. I lay 
and watched her, lying in my arms, so 
lovely as she was, with her dark hair 
thrown back, and the long, dark, curling 
lashes falling over her rounded cheeks. 
And the moon crept over, and the shadows 
changed, and all light was swallowed up in 
the cold, dark mists that shrouded the earth 
the hour before the dawn. Then the peace 
of the night passed away, and all life 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


189 

seemed one black darkness. I clung closer 
and closer to my sister, till she struggled in 
her sleep. She seemed so far away, al- 
though I could feel her every heart-beat. 
Then the first faint light crept in, like a 
feeble, shivering hope, and the far-off hills 
grew rosy, and there was a stir of life out- 
side, and the great, golden sun came up 
rejoicing : and this was Kitty’s wedding- 
day. 


CHAPTER VI. 

The bridesmaids fluttering to and fro, in 
and out of our room up-stairs, said that 
never a bride looked half so lovely as our 
Kitty, in her white silk and orange-blos- 
soms, with the fleecy folds of the veil fall- 
ing about her. 

We had been dressing leisurely, ever 
since dinner, trying the steps in our new 
white slippers, sitting on the edges of our 
chairs, in our stiff ruffled skirts, while re- 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


190 

fractory braids and curls were coaxed into 
position, running into the best chamber to 
look at ourselves in the long glass, and 
walking round each other to judge of effects. 
But at last it was all done, at the hour be- 
fore sunset, as that was the time that Kitty 
had chosen. 

From the* window we could look down, 
across the garden, to the little white church, 
on the green beyond, and see the people 
clustering round the door. There was quite 
a crowd, for everybody in Slab City wanted 
to see Herbert and Kitty married. Herbert 
came up-stairs, pulling on his gloves, to 
take one look, he said, at the bride. Well, 
it was not worth while to refuse him. 

We all went down, and they followed 
presently. Father, mother, and grandma 
stood on the piazza with the groomsmen. 
A few words were interchanged, and some 
one said it was time to go. It seemed like 
a dream. 

Herbert was the only one who seemed to 
understand it all, and he started us down 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


I9I 

the path. in couples, bringing up the rear 
with Kitty.’ On we went, through the 
wide, sunny garden path, between beds of 
phlox, and gillyflowers, and mignonette, 
and, farther down, rows of statel}^ holly- 
hocks, from whose blossoms Kitty and I 
had made such hosts of silken-skirted ba- 
bies, and grand, freckled tiger-lilies, whose 
beads had so often hun^ in shininof rows 
around our necks, stood up, tall and gra- 
cious, in the afternoon sunlight, and looked 
down upon the fair bride, who seemed 
passing away from their gentle influence 
and from her simple child-life, out into the 
great world, and the wider sphere of wo- 
manhood. A world of things seemed to 
pass before my eyes, and through my mind. 
I could think of, realize anything, every- 
thing but what was before me. I remem- 
ber noticing that Tim had forgotten to cover 
the peppers, and wondering if we had 
enough of them stuffed to last through the 
next winter. 

It was only when we came within the 


192 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


church door, and stood for a moment, wait- 
ing for those before us to pass in, that it 
came upon me with overwhelming force. 
Kitty was going in, and when she came out 
it would be all different. She stood there 
with a quiet smile on her face, Herbert by 
her side, looking, oh, God ! so strong and 
fair. Oh, what could not life be. to them, 
in their youth, and beauty, and love. 
Helpful hands were arranging her train and 
veil about her ; a moment, and she would 
be gone. Oh, what would I give for a last 
kiss from my sister ! I went to her, and 
touched her flowers a little, and came back, 
and went up again, but I could not; it 
seemed as if the touch of her lips would 
take away all strength and courage from 
me. And then it was too late. The head 
couple had moved on, and they motioned to 
us to follow. 

They all said that there had never been 
a wedding like it in Slab City ! The bride 
was so beautiful, and everything so stylish. 
I laid by all the little remarks to tell Kitty 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


193 


sometime, but to me everything was dim 
and confused. I remember how the golden 
light streamed in at the old church door, as 
we came out, and bathed Herbert and Kitty 
in its glory as they stepped down the steps, 
and over the bit of turf to the garden gate. 
We followed, after a moment, and were in 
our places in the parlor, when father and 
mother and grandma came in to salute the 
bride. 

It was very hard for poor grandma, for 
weddings and funerals are, she says, as sad 
one as another to her ; they take her back 
to her great loss. The tears rolled over 
her wrinkled cheeks, and stood like dew- 
drops on their faded roses, as she kissed us 
all round, the ^groomsmen even. But ah, 
it is a great thing to have been happy once. 
However terrible the after loneliness may 
be, the memory of a joy will still remain. 
God help us who may not have even that. 

Kate Field was in great trouble. She 
said that country people did show off to 
such a disadvantage in company. They 


194 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


did look so unused to their best clothes. 
Somehow dress brought out all the elbow 
joints, and long necks, and big ears ; and 
then they were so jolly, and cracked so 
many jokes, especially at a wedding. She 
supposed that it would never do for a man 
who had been elected so unanimously 
as my father, to shut his doors upon his 
supporters ; but she did wonder how we 
had the courage to invite our city friends ; 
not but what she liked country folks, and 
loved the townspeople dearly. But she 
loved them too well to exhibit them, and 
when she was married she should invite 
them only, and tell her city friends that it 
was quite private. 

Mr. Harding coming up at that moment, 
I told him laughingly that Miss Field had 
just said that she should not invite him to 
her wedding. She hastily disclaimed the 
remark, and blushingly explained. 'H was 
just thinking,” said he, "'how beautiful it 
has all been, and how glad I was that I 
could be of the company. This seems to. 


I9S 


MT SISTER KITTT. 

me more like being married than any cere- 
mony that I have ever attended. If I were 
not too old a bachelor to think of such 
things, Miss Kate, I would say that my 
wedding should be as nearly as possible 
like this, and that I would ask all my city 
friends down, to read, for once in their 
lives, a little poem in real life.” 

Kate laughed, and made some very com- 
plimentary speeches about his youth and 
privileges, to which he replied quite mer- 
rily, and turned the compliment upon her 
beauty and taste in arranging flowers. 
The rooms did look beautifully, decked 
with bright leaves and early autumn flowers. 
The stiff wooden mantels were covered with 
moss, and festooned with scarlet blackberry- 
vines, knotted up with bunches of white 
asters, and everything that would hold a 
blossom was full of the rare and fragrant 
ones that Herbert and Mr. Harding had 
brought all the way from Boston. I did 
not wonder that he felt so. Was he too old 
to be happy as he would like to be? Would 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


196 

he not have time to get over loving me, and 
find some one else, before it was too late? 
If I had known him a long time ago, I 
could have loved him. He was one of 
those rare men whom you might look the 
world over to find, but now I could never 
love anybody. 

We went out to supper, and what a 
merry supper it was, with speeches, and 
toasting of the happy pair, and much 
drinking of their healths in mother’s old 
currant wine, made when she was married, 
to be used at the next wedding. But by- 
and-by all was over, and we took off the 
silken robe, and the filmy veil, and put on 
the mouse-colored dress which Kitty was to 
wear on her travels ; for she and Herbert 
were to drive that evening to Bloomingdale, 
where they would take the coach next day. 

At last there was no excuse for waiting. 
The pretty hat was tied, the dainty gloves 
were buttoned, and all our bridesmaid labors 
were over, save the duty of escorting her 
down, which we did in a body, and out 


MT SISTER KITTT 


197 


upon the piazza, where we were joined by 
a few of the company, who still lingered. 
One silent embrace all round, and a second 
one for me ; we held each other’s hands as 
we went down to the gate, where Tim was 
standing with our horse and buggy. Her- 
bert kissed me, and took her from me ; the 
girls behind ran out to throw over a slipper, 
and amid a chorus of good-byes they drove 
away. 

There was silence for a moment, until 
father called out, ” Don’t forget the turn by 
the elm, Herbert, and be careful of old 
Dobbin.” Then every one laughed, with a 
sense of relief, and there was a cheerful 
bustle of finding wraps ; the Hardings’ car- 
riage was brought up, and the neighbors 
went, and we were left alone with our im- 
mediate guests. 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


198 


CHAPTER VII. 

I do not know how long it was after the 
wedding that I gave up doing anything, 
and lay, day after day, so weary that I 
could hardly turn my head on the pillow. 
At first, I kept around as usual, and put the 
house in order, and tried to help some in 
the light fall work. There were pickles 
and preserves to make, and seeds to gather, 
and flowers to pot, and so many things to 
do. We missed Kitty’s quick hand. I 
thought that I could keep it all to myself, 
for I was only tired ; but mother grew wor- 
ried about my looks, and Mrs. Harding 
would come in to ask about me, and bring 
me nice things, daily. 

She sent her son one day to take me out 
to her, as she was not able to come in, and 
they made me go. I dreaded the drive 
unspeakably, but could give no reason for 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


199 


refusing. He said, gently, as he put me 
in, and drove off, Do not mind my going 
about with you ; our mothers are such good 
friends, and we shall be thrown much to- 
gether. I have no sister, and you are 
much alone ; let me do for you as a brother 
would, and we can enjoy a great deal.” 

I nodded a little, — I could not speak, — 
and he went on : 

” You look weary ; you are worn out with 
the excitement and labor of the wedding. 
Now you are not to say a word, all the way 
out, excepting when I ask you a question ; 
you shall rest, and take in all the beauty of 
the way, for my mother will want to hear a 
great deal from you during the short time 
that you are with her.” 

It was very pleasant to be taken care of, 
and we were all alone, each of us, as he 
said ; perhaps we might be good friends, 
and take a great deal of comfort yet, for of 
course he could never expect anything 
more, after what I had told him. So I did 
as he said, and almost the first sense of 


200 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


peace and rest that I had felt all this weary 
time, came over me as we drove through 
the woods, — the dim old woods, — that 
were now all bare and gray. The blue sky 
looked very sweet and tender between the 
pencilled branches of the trees. It seemed 
strangely near, as if it had stooped down in 
pity toward the poor things that had been so 
lately stripped of their robes of rejoicing. 
When I am weary and desolate, I always 
long to go out of doors ; even in the soli- 
tude of the woods and the wide fields I feel 
less alone. It seems as if Nature gave us 
more of that fellowship which is so rarely to 
be found even among friends, — which only 
comes indeed between two who are all the 
world to each other. I remember when I 
was a little child, it used to bring tears to 
my eyes, with a kind of thankfulness, to see 
the grass growing up so much taller and 
thicker around a stone in the mowing, to 
cover up its loneliness ; as if nothing was 
left utterly uncomforted. It was like one 
of God’s pledges for the unknown future. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


201 


I spent several days with Mrs. Harding, 
and we three had very cosy times together ; 
very happy, restful times. 

The twilight came early, and we would 
sit and talk around the fire before tea-time, 
as we could not have talked under any other 
circumstances. In the evening, Mr. Hard- 
ing would read to us. He had a fine voice, 
and I enjoyed so much hearing things that 
were so new to me. Our books at home 
were very old ; histories, mostly, and voy- 
ages, and the Spectator. I did not know 
anything of the later poets, and "Sir Charles 
Grandison” was almost the only novel we 
possessed. I had never had an opportunity 
before to be with any one who knew about, 
and had read almost, everything, and it was 
such a delight ! I should have laid by a 
store of knowledge, if only I had been 
stronger, but, after a little while, I was so 
weary, that I could only lie still on my sofa, 
where they placed me, — not even daring 
to think, — for something would always 
come up to take me back to Kitty and 


202 


Mr S/STBI^ KITTr 


Herbert, and the great ocean that rolled 
between us. After this visit was over, I 
did not go again, for the Hardings were to 
return to Boston for the winter. They came 
and passed the last few days with us, and 
brought me all their books to keep for them 
until the next summer, and read all that I 
wanted to, and Mr. Harding marked a 
great many places for me, and sometimes 
wrote a little on the margin, where he 
thought it might help me to understand a 
difficult passage ; and I took great pains 
with these places, reading them over many 
times, and carefully, that I might not seem 
unmindful of his kindness, should he ever 
revert to them again. 

After they were gone I thought that I 
should have nothing to do but to read and 
study the books, and try to fill my mind 
with them, hoping, thereby, to keep down 
the pain in my heart, and fill the solitude 
that seemed to stretch around me with the 
new people that I learned, through them, to 
know* There were so many of them whom 


Mr SISTER KITTr 


203 


I loved, so many that had had trouble, — 
almost every one. I used to think, hardly a 
year ago, that it was an unusual thing, but 
now I know that the world is full of it, and 
that there could hardly be a beautiful and 
touching tale written that was not founded 
upon love and sorrow. At first I kept ex- 
pecting to find something different, as I 
went on to read many stories and poems. 
It seemed to me that there must be so many 
great things out in the world, about which 
men and women of different ages and na- 
tions would write. But after a while I 
began to see that human nature is, and 
always has been, the same all over the 
world ; that the men of old, with their 
mighty ambitions, the women who did 
great deeds, were but men and women 
after all. It is wonderful to think of it. 
It makes one feel so near to all those who 
lived so many years ago, — the old Ro- 
mans, and King Harold, and Edith, and 
John Alden, and Priscilla, and even the 
poor Indians. I wonder if Miss Root has 


204 


MY SISTER KITTY, 


ever thought of it. She and I, perhaps, are 
not more foolish than some were. 

We had frequent letters from Herbert and 
Kitty. Such bright and happy letters as 
they were. Their happiness was perfect ; 
and they were living a life so well suited to 
them both, in the midst of new and strange 
people and things. Ah yes, it was better 
so ; Kitty was just the one to enter into it 
all, and I could never have left her at home. 
How miserable she would have been, with 
all her eager longing for the world and 
adventures. 

I was quite content, and then, too, I was 
older, — nearer a little to father and mother ; 
it was all for the best. How strange that I 
ever could have thought differently ! But, 
somehow, I could not get strong again. I 
could not feel the interest that I used to feel 
in things about me. They all seemed of so 
little worth. I could not but wonder at the 
pleasure that they all seemed to take in the 
endless routine that we called life, — every 
day the same things over for long years, 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


205 


until we grew old and died. I longed some- 
times to creep away quietly out of it all ; 
away from my dear father and mother, 
away from the kind neighbors who came in 
with loving thoughtfulness to bring me little 
delicacies, and to do for me in many ways. 
.1 loved them all, but, somehow, their fresh 
activity jarred upon me. One Sunday I was 
left alone with old Hannah, and Miss Betsy, 
who had been with us for a week, making 
up some winter clothes for mother. I told 
them that I should like to rest. I longed to 
lie all alone, and look out over the fields 
from my window, with no one to disturb me 
by a word. They went down, but I sup- 
pose the kitchen was cold, for, after a few 
minutes, I heard Miss Betsy say, We’ll 
stir up the fire, and sit here, Hannah.” 
The dining-room was just below mine, and 
the stove-pipe came up through the floor to 
warm my room. I turned over, sick at 
heart, for it would break the sweet silence 
to hear them chatting away below. 

Presently a remark caught my ear ; ''The 


2o6 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


doctor said he couldn’t tell how long she 
would hold out ; her ma’s eldest sister went 
off just so ; seemed to be nothing special 
the matter, only a losin’ of strength ; is in 
some families, they say, and comes out 
where you’d least expect it. It’d be a 
dreadful blow to Squire Trist and his wife, 
and Kitty. I do think they don’t do right 
lettin’ her go on so gay like, in furrin’ parts, 
an’ her sister so feeble, — she’d take it to 
heart greatly if she never see her again ; 
they was alius so much together, them two 
girls. Pretty creeturs I I remember ’em 
when they warn’t but little things, in pink 
caliker frocks, and sun-bonnets, goin’ down 
the street to their grandma’s,” and Miss 
Betsy heaved a sigh, and leaned back and 
rocked in her squeaky rocking-chair. 

So this was what they said of me ! It 
came with a great shock ! I repeated it 
over to myself, but it did not seem as if it 
could be I of whom they spoke. Perhaps 
this was an answer to my longing for rest. 

Are our wishes as prayers? Would God 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


207 


take me, so young? And, oh, when Kitty 
came back, what would she do without me ! 
Who else would care so much for every lit- 
tle thing connected with her? Nothing, I 
was sure, would be anything to her, with- 
out me. She would lay by so many little 
things to tell me;.. she would wish that she 
had never left me. If I could onl}^ wait till 
she had had a happy coming home, I might 
go more easily. I thought of my father 
and mother, — so careful and anxious for 
me. Who would take care of them, — did 
they know this? If I could only wait and 
go with them ! Heaven seemed lonesome 
and far away, for nobody that I knew, or 
loved very welf, had died. I hardly remem- 
bered grandpa. 

It seemed so strange to think of the world 
going on just the same, and I not in it. 
This poor, weary, throbbing heart of mine 
would be quite at .rest, and all my tears 
would be wiped away in the ” Better Land.” 
I took my little Bible and read about it over 
again. When last I read, they seemed so 


2 o 8 SISTER KITTT. 

far away, — the green pastures,” and the 
''still waters,” and, now, how near! Why 
is it that one has still the longing, in the 
face of all trouble and pain, to linger on till 
the last moment? I could not go and leave 
Kitty. Could I live? 

We were much surprised the next even- 
ing to hear the stage stop at our door. 
Father was down-stairs, and mother, who 
was sitting with me, hastily settled her cap, 
and ran to the head of the stairs to listen. 
She came back all agitation, to say that it 
was Mr. Harding, and that she was afraid 
that the " sfare roo7n ” was as cold as a 
barn. I suggested a warming-pan, and the 
big feather-bed, and begged her not to let 
me see him until the next morning ; and she 
disappeared, " on hospitable thoughts in- 
tent.” 

I could hear them talking quietly below. 
He would ask about me, and what would 
they tell him? Ah, well, he would feel 
sorry, I knew. How strangely things go 
in this world I If only we could have hap- 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


209 


pened to be everything to each other, how 
pleasant it would have been, all round. 
But when there has been one^ all the rest 
of the world is nothing, and one’s heart 
must go as it will. 

It would be very easy seeing him now, 
because, as all hope was gone, — as he 
knew I was going to die, — I need be only 
honest and straightforward with him. I 
asked mother to send Miss Betsy up with 
him in the morning, after I was dressed, 
and on the sofa, and she could leave him to 
talk with me a little time, while she took the 
opportunity to arrange matters below. I 
did not like father or mother to come with 
him, for I knew that I must have altered 
since the autumn, and I feared that he 
might show them that he noticed it. It was 
well that I did so, for when he came in, his 
face changed in a moment, and it was some 
time before he could speak. I held out my 
hand, and said: '"Do not be troubled, Mr. 
Harding. Come and sit by me ; I am so 
glad to see you ; and I want to say a great 
many things to you.” 


210 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


So he came, and I talked to him as cheer- 
fully as I could about his mother, and the 
books that they had left me. And then I 
asked him what he had heard about me ; 
whether it was true that every one thought 
that I must die. I had no one else to ask 
but the home friends, and they could not 
have told me. He told me, very quietly, 
what they said, for he knew that it was bet- 
ter to do so : that there was no illness that 
was dragging me down, but that my mind 
preyed upon my body, and whether from 
exhaustion, or other causes, the strong de- 
sire of life was wanting, which alone could 
arrest the threatened malady, and he begged 
me not to give up, but to think of father and 
mother and Kitty, and to rouse myself, and 
take hold of life, putting aside, as far as 
possible, all memories of past pain, and 
looking forward, trustfully, to a life which 
could not fail cf being a full one. 

It did me a great deal of good to talk to 
him, he seemed to understand it all so per- 
fectly, without my saying a single word. 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


211 


He stayed on several days, for he had come 
to attend to some alterations to be made in 
his mother’s room at the Springs. She was 
to come up early in the season. 

Every day he spent an hour or two with 
me, and he. would tell me of all the new and 
wonderful things that were taking place in 
the city ; of the new books, and the pictures 
that he had seen. It was such a break in 
our everyday life. In the evenings, father 
and mother would join him around the open 
wood-fire in my room, and even old Ponto 
and Mrs. Pussy seemed to feel the attrac- 
tion, for they would come stealing up, and 
ensconce themselves in the warmest cor- 
ners. Only Kitty’s place was vacant ! 

But the days flew by, and Mr. Harding 
was gone, and things settled down into the 
old way, varied only by letters from Kitty, 
and occasional boxes of delicacies from 
Boston. 

One day, however, mother came up with 
moistened eyes, and laying a letter on my 
bed, went quietly away without speaking a 


212 


Mr SISTER KITTT. 


word. I took it up with trembling hands ; 
it was from Herbert, with a scrap of paper 
inclosed, written in pencil by Kitty. A 
great terror came over me. Could anything 
have happened to her? It was some min- 
utes before I could begin to read her feebly 
traced words. 

" My Dearest Sister, — Herbert will 
tell you of my severe illness, but I write to 
let you see how much better I am, and to 
say one word, — to tell you how, through it 
all, I thought of you, and longed to see you. 
Hope, dear sister, they tell me that you are 
not strong as you used to be. Are you 
doing everything that 3^011 can for yourself? 
Remember that if an3"thing should happen 
to 3’ou while I am gone, my heart would be 
broken. I could not live without you to 
share in all m3" joys and sorrows. I shall 
not be quite well again until you tell me 
that you are better. 

Write to me soon, and comfort the heart 
of your Kitty,” 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


213 


I do not think that I had ever doubted it, 
but it came over me like a w^arm, fresh wave 
of life, — the fact that Kitty needed me so 
much. Yes, even if she should forget me 
in her happiness, she would want me in her 
trouble and sickness. I did not think that 
even Herbert could do for her as I could, for 
a woman knows so much of the inner life 
than a man, through her timid, shrinking, 
thirsty nature, — through her great needs, 
— which are her teachers. 

It would be a great struggle, but I must 
live for Kitty. I lifted my hand, and 
stretched it out. How weak and thin and 
white it was, but there might be a great 
deal for it to do in the future. I lifted my 
head, and looked around me, — out of the 
window, and over the fields below. Every- 
thing was very brown and bare that quiet 
afternoon. The snow had gone from the 
hills, and all Nature seemed waiting, — life- 
less and empty, — for the awakening of the 
springtime. Only just beneath my sunny, 
sheltered, south window there was an old 


214 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


lilac-tree, whose buds had begun to swell, 
and show the faintest, palest line of green 
between the polished, dark-red, overlapping 
folds, and over in the orchard I heard a lone 
bluebird twittering away to keep himself 
company. 

" It is the first step that costs,” Mr. Hard- 
ing had said to me, quoting from a book 
which he had read to me. I will begin to 
try a little ; perhaps I can keep up with the 
old tree ; we will encourage each other. I 
was so busy with my thoughts that I did not 
know that mother had come in till I turned 
back, weary from the unusual effort, and met 
her wondering eyes. Then I put my arms 
around her neck, and said : '' I am going 
to get well, mother, for I can't disappoint 
Kitty,” and we had a good cry together. 

I found that it was not alone the first step 
that cost, in the slow, upward way. Oh 
how wearily, at times, I struggled, over- 
come with the loneliness of life. But, little 
by little, the old instincts forced themselves 
upon me, and, as the year grew, and the 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


2IS 


flowers blossomed, and the earth grew rich 
and full of good gifts, a little faint sense of 
comfort sprang up within my heart. The 
old, wild longing seemed to have been 
buried away from me by the same care 
that cut down the proud blossoms and wild 
luxuriance of growth that clothed the year 
in the last summer-time, and now a new 
and tender, though a feeble verdure, began 
to spring up and cover what had seemed so 
dry and bare. Not the same, oh, never 
more the same, but in the same likeness, 
and with a fair promise of bloom and beauty 
of its own. 

As the warm summer-days came on, we 
had letters from the Hardings, or, rather, 
from Mr. Harding, for his mother was not 
in her usual health. She was longing, he 
said, for the country, and talked so much of 
seeing us again. The house at the Springs 
did not open for a month yet, and mother 
suggested that we should invite her to our 
house, to spend the intervening time. 

In a few days came the answer to our 


2i6 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


letter, accepting the invitation. Then there 
w^as quite a stir for a week, preparing things 
for her reception. Mother wanted a lo-unge 
covered in the spare room, and the curtains 
changed, and the old mahogany furniture 
must be rubbed till it shone. 

It was a beautiful day that brought them 
to us. The apple-trees were covered with 
blossoms, and the air was full of the songs 
of birds. Mrs. Harding was so overcome 
that she could hardly speak, as she got 
down from the stage and looked about her. 
She had changed greatly since I saw her 
last. Mr. Harding said to me, as I stepped 
out upon the piazza, after taking her up- 
stairs to her room, — 

I see that I need not tell you of my anx- 
iety. Had it not been for this, I should not 
have felt that we ought to trespass upon your 
parents’ hospitality, while you are yet far 
from strong, but she longed so to come.” 

I did not feel that I could comfort him by 
what I could say, but told him what a pleas- 
ure it was to us all to do for her, and spoke 


MT SISTER KITTl^, 217 

as cheerfully as I could of the effects of the 
bracing country air. 

He shook his head, but smiled a little, 
and said that it, or something else, had done 
a great deal for me, and asked me if I had 
finished all the reading that he had left me 
last winter, which led to a little chat about 
all that had happened since we met. 

How pleasant it was to talk with one so 
interested as he was in all the subjects that 
I loved so much. I could hardly help sigh- 
incf, as we turned from the dusk and fra- 
grance to go in-doors, and he said, regret- 
fully, — 

"While I am here this summer, we must 
have some pleasant rambles and long talks. 
I have never lived in the country, and you 
must show me all the hidden beauties of 
Nature, for you seem to know by heart all 
the lovely nooks in the country about here.” 

I thought with some alarm of the long 
talks, in which I should play so poor a part, 
but told him that if he would not mind car- 
rying a basket, and wading a brook occa- 


2i8 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


sionally, or descending deep ravines to look 
up certain little treasures which I had set 
my heart upon finding, that I would show 
him all that he could desire. 

We settled Mrs. Rai ding comfortably in 
the great '' spare-room,” so cool and quiet; 
and she said she knew that she should sleep 
like a young girl, lulled by the faint sound 
of the brook that came stealing up through 
all the night, mingled with the whisper of 
the pines. I sat by her bedside and talked 
a little, quietly, to her, until she w^as asleep. 

The apple-blossoms faded and died, and 
summer stole in upon us, but health and 
strength did not return, as we had hoped, 
to the invalid. She was able to come down- 
stairs, upon bright days, and sometimes 
could walk with us a little way to see the 
hay turned in the field, or to watch the 
coming-on of the flowers in the garden. 
Mr. Harding did not return as he intended. 
She begged him to stay, from day to day, 
and finally would not hear of his going at 
all. He told father that he would remain 


MT SISTER KITTY, 


219 


on condition that he would make him use- 
ful, and teach him farming; and we soon 
found that he was quite in earnest. The 
straggling undergrowth which mother and 
I had longed to have put in order, was all 
trimmed and fastened up. The old syringa- 
bushes, which had been growing in their 
own way for the past twenty years, lost 
some of their unwieldy size, and the front- 
yard received so many touches that it ex- 
cited the admiring notice of all the villagers. 

But our attention was soon taken from 
these things by the appearance of more 
alarming symptoms in Mrs. Harding. 
Then came weeks of weary watching, and 
at last we knew that there was no hope. 
Toward the last there were many days 
when she was free from pain, and loved to 
have me sit and read to her. At other times 
she seemed to enjoy talking to me alone of 
her early life, her hopes and fears. One 
day, as I bent over her bed, she put up 
both hands, and drew my face down to her, 
and kissed it, saying, ” Dear child, no one 


220 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 


has done for me what you have, and before I 
go I want to tell you something. When first 
I saw you, I trembled lest you should steal 
my son’s heart from me. Something told 
me that you were one whom he could care 
for more than for any woman that he had 
ever seen. The thought of his marriage 
was like death to me, but now it is my great 
grief that you cannot care for him. I 
long to feel that he has a faithful heart to 
comfort him, when mine has ceased to beat. 
Promise me at least that you will be his 
friend ; that you will care a little for him, 
for his mother’s sake.” Then she told me 
that she had begged my father and mother 
to keep him for a while, that his loneliness 
might be broken a little. He had worked 
hard at his profession during the winter, 
and was tired, and worn, and needed rest 
and care. And I promised to do what I 
could, to comfort her. After that she failed 
rapidly, and one beautiful evening, when 
Mr. Harding and I were sitting by her, she 
quietly closed her eyes forever. 


Mr SISTER KITTT, 


221 


The house seemed strangely empty when 
it was all over. Our time and thoughts 
had been so entirely occupied with her, that 
there seemed nothing left for any of us to 
do. Mr. Harding was overcome by the 
loss. She was his all, poor fellow, and we 
hardly knew what to do to comfort him. 

To my surprise, he returned with father 
and mother, who had accompanied him to 
Boston, to pay the last honors to our poor 
friend. He' said that he could not stay 
where all reminded him so of her. At first 
I was anxious lest our quiet life should be 
empty to him. Men are not like women, 
who slip quietly into the vacant places in a 
household, exciting no special feeling un- 
less it be a sense of fulness and complete- 
ness ; they are more like a rock thrown into 
the bed of a brook, — the stream must di- 
vide and flow around it whichever way it 
best can. I was afraid we never should 
get around Mr. Harding when it came 
down to every-day doings. But it was 
really wonderful, the way in which such a 


222 


MT SISTER KITTY. 


manly man as he was adapted himself to 
our circumstances. He was devoted to 
mother, taking her about wherever she 
wanted to go, and always doing some little 
thing for her comfort. 

Father got so that he could hardly go out 
to the field without taking him along to give 
his opinion, and we worked in the garden 
together, and had wonderful things to bring 
in daily, — berries, from the bushes that he 
had sent us in the fall, and choice roses, 
from plants that he had brought up to us at 
different times. Then in the quiet evenings, 
when we had been to the meadow to see 
the last load of hay brought in, or had 
driven the cows home through the shady 
lane, we would take our books and read as 
long as the sun lent us his light. 

After the lamps were lighted, father and 
mother usually joined us, and Mr. Harding 
would read something aloud to us all, until 
a subdued murmur arose, and the frill of 
mother’s cap drooped low, when we would 
quietly betake us to our German lesson. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


223 


which finished the evening. For he had 
persuaded me into reading German with 
him. I had always longed for an opportu- 
nity, and now availed m3^self of it with 
such eagerness that my progress surprised 
and delighted him. I felt that the days 
were few in which I could hope to go on 
improving ; he would surely tire of us be- 
fore long. But I did not like to think of it ; 
it was so long since I had been as happy ; 
it was more than a year since Kitty’s wed- 
ding-day. That day we celebrated with a 
few friends, by a drive and picnic upon 
Kitty’s favorite mountain-side. He had 
planned it all some time before, and had 
written to Kitty of the arrangement, that 
she might think of us at that time, and 
know what we were doing. I felt very 
grateful to him for it, for it would have 
been an effort to go on quietly at home as 
usual. He was always stepping in between 
us and our sad thoughts, and filling our 
lives with pleasant things. I wonder what 
we ever did before he came ! 


224 


MY SISTER KITTY. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

The beautiful October days came at last. 
Oh, what walks we had through the radiant 
woods ! Surely the asters never showed 
such bright eyes, the leaves such coloring, 
and never hung the haze so tenderly over 
the distant hills. Or was it that I had never 
before enjoyed them all with one whose 
heart was so keenly alive to all their beau- 
ties, whose taste was so in accord with my 
own? Well might I enjoy it all. Not one 
i-egretful thought would I admit ; for winter 
and silence were coming. 

One afternoon we had been out on a long 
ramble. Missing a turn in the road, we 
came out upon the brow of a hill which 
overlooked all the valley below, the river 
shining in the distance, the little village 
sleeping in its embiiice. There were sev- 
eral miles to be walked before we reached 


225 


MT SISTER KITTT. 

home ; the sun was yet high ; "would I not 
rest and talk a little ? ” I sat down with a 
sigh upon the brilliant carpet of leaves. 
" How they have fallen ! The trees are 
bare, the fields are empty, everything is 
going ! ” 

He smiled a little sadly as he stood l^an- 
ing against a tree. " Do you care so much 
for the poor things, that you speak in such 
a desolate tone. When oiie has those 
whom they love with them, the outside 
world matters so little. You are among 
your own, and I alone, of all your friends, 
am going away.” 

" Going away ! ” I had thought of it a 
thousand times ; why did it strike me with 
such a new force when uttered by his lips? 
I was very tired with the long walk, and 
such an utterly weary, miserable feeling 
came over me, that I wished that I might 
die. The tears came rolling down my 
cheeks, and I could only bury my face in 
my hands and sob desperately. 

He was kneeling by my side in a moment, 


226 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


trying in every way to comfort me, but his 
words only made it worse. ''Why, O why 
do you cry so? Are you sorry for me that 
I have no one? O Hope, if you could only 
take back what you said so long ago, — or 
no, not take it back, — I am not grieved 
that you have loved some one else, if only 
that is past, and you will love me now. 
I have loved you ever since I first met you, 
Hope, my darling ; I have felt all along 
that we were made for each other, but I 
could see how it would be with you, for I 
am older, and perhaps too settled down, 
while Kitty’s beloved is so young and 
handsome.” 

"Oh, no, no,” I said, for perhaps Her- 
bert's handsome face never looked less so 
than at that moment, in contrast to the noble 
one before me ; " it is true that I have loved 
Herbert, — you must have known that ; he 
was my hero, as a child. I shall love him 
always, but not in the same way. All that 
is past. Everything seems so different 
from what it did before I went away. I 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 227 

have seen the world, and tasted sorrow, and 
now I know myself. It is as if the old 
Hope had died, and there was a new one 
come in her place, — the same, but different 
in many things. I could never have been 
Herbert’s wife, for we should have grown 
apart ; I see it all now. The world drew 
him one way, and me another. Kitty is 
just the one for him, and now that I have 
got over the shock of the separation, for 
he had grown up into my heart and 
thoughts, — I am so glad ; it is so much 
better as it is.” 

"And now that that love has gone from 
you, have you a place for a new love, or 
perhaps for one not altogether new? Hope, 
have all these hours that we have passed 
together in the fields and woods, and over 
our books, been nothing to you, — hours 
which to me were life, and breath, and 
happiness? Is it nothing to you that they 
are ended, and that our paths diverge?” 

He spoke passionately, sorrowfully, and 
I answered, softly, " It has been more to 


228 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


me than I have dreamed ; so much, that 
when you spoke, just now, of going away, 
it came upon me with an overwhelming 
force, — the knowledge that my happiness, 
my all would go with you, and that there 
would be nothing left for me but to die. 
You have brought back, little by little, my 
life to me ; it is in your hands to do what 
you will with it.” This is all that I can say 
of our love-making. John and I have a 
way of our own, and we keep it very much 
to ourselves. I think that our old Tim has 
surprised us out of more of it than anybody 
else, going his rounds through the fields. 

It was very late when we returned that 
night to tea, but John thought that I needed 
to rest a while, and, too, the bright October 
moon would light us home, if we waited. 
It was a long walk, but with a strong arm 
to lean upon I did not mind so much. 
Mother was on the steps when we arrived, 
peering down the road after us. 

John put both arms round her, and kissed 
her, saying, "Congratulate me, mother, 


Mr SISTER KITTY. 


229 


dear,” and she kissed him heartily in return, 
and then kissed me, while a few happy 
tears rolled from under her spectacles. I 
didn’t think she would understand it all so 
quickly. One would have supposed that she 
had foreseen it all. Father and mother and 
John had a long talk that night, though I was 
sent off early. But John and I went for a 
drive the next morning, with " old Dobbin,” 
and I had my turn. When we came back, 
it was all settled. In a month we were to 
be married, and then we were to go to " our 
house” in Boston, to remain for a week, 
before sailing for Europe, to join Herbert 
and Kitty. I could not take it all in, it was 
so new and surprising, and in vain I begged 
for more time for courting. " It was impos- 
sible,” John said, " it was so late in the sea- 
son. If I had only told him that I loved 
him in the summer, he might perhaps have 
allowed me six weeks. As it was, I had 
nothing to do but to get the wedding-dress. 
Kitty would have everything ready for me 
when I reached there. We would have but 


230 


MT SISTER KITTT, 


a small wedding, and when the two brides 
returned, we could go into whatever fes- 
tivities we pleased. 

Thus it came to pass that, upon one of 
those glorious days that come as a special 
mercy after the year’s bright promises seem 
all fulfilled, father and mother, and John 
and I walked down the garden-path, and 
over to the little church, where were gath- 
ered those who had been interested longer 
than we knew in our love-story. The 
sun shone bright and warm upon us as we 
stepped out upon the leaf-strewn turf, even 
as it had shone on Herbert and Kitty on that 
day, when, in the presence of so much hap- 
piness, we two had carried such heavy 
hearts. Our home-gathering was very 
small. A few of John’s friends had come 
from Boston, 'Ho read the little poem in 
real life,” and these, with relatives and 
neighbors, were all. The old house looked 
very pretty, as the afternoon sunshine 
streamed in, and lighted up its decora- 
tions. 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


231 


The bright leaves and flowers were gone, 
but the hardy ferns were glorious in their 
greenness, and every one in the village had 
stripped their plants of the snowy chrysan- 
themums for my wedding. Red berries 
glowed from beds of soft mosses, and some 
flowers had come all the way from Boston. 
John had insisted that I should have a real 
wedding-dress of shining satin, — which 
seemed far too grand for me, — but since he 
was satisfied, it mattered not. 

Old Dobbin came again to the door to 
bear away a bride, and this time father and 
mother were left alone, but they and grand- 
ma were coming down in a few days to see 
us sail, after which they would stay and 
spend the winter in our house, with Kate 
Field to act the part of daughter. 

In the quiet of our happy home we opened 
the trunk for ” my son’s wife,” and shed 
many tears over the precious relics. How 
happy I felt that I had been permitted to do 
so much for our mother. 

That evening as we sat in the twilight 


232 


MT SISTER KITTT. 


before the glowing grate, John said : ” I 
have been waiting to show my wife a cer- 
tain treasure that I have carried for a long 
time. Lean down, Hope, a little nearer to 
the light.” He took out a little silken case, 
and opened it, aitd within lay a faded rose. 

I looked inquiringly ; I had never given 
it to him. Was this — my voice trembled a 
little — ''John, did you ever care for any 
one before you knew me?” 

He smiled a little as he took my hand. 
" Would it grieve you very much to know 
that I had? This rose was worn by my 
first love, and — my last. She refused it to 
me, but a kind fate shook it from her hair 
as she left the carriage, and I found it when 
I went back to it, desolate. Now, don’t cry, 
darling, all the past is nothing, so that I 
have you at last ! ” 


THE END. 


CQy SlSiTEr^ 




BOSTON : 

LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 





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